"73 b 



Commonfo^alt^ oi P^assac^usrfts. 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS 



TO THE 



EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. 



February, 1874. 



BOSTON: 

WRIGHT & POTTER, STATE PRINTERS, 
Corner of Milk and Federal Streets. 

1874. 



i 



HOUSE. 



.No. 100. 



Commonio^altl^ of Plassarljusdts. 



Report of the commissioners 



TO THE 



EXPOSITION AT VIEMA. 



-SL'o^'-S*-^^ 






February, 1874. 




:S BOSTON: 

WRIGHT & POTTER, STATE PRINTERS, 
Corner of Milk and Federal Streets. 

1874. 







CommontDcaltl) of ilTa60ai:l)U0ett0- 



Executive Department, Boston, February 6, 1874. 
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives : — 

Herewith I have the honor to lay before the legislature the 
Reports of Hon. Charles Francis Adams, Jr., Hon. Horatio 
G. Knight, and Hamilton A. Hill, Esq., members of the 
Commission from this Commonwealth to the Vienna Expo- 
sition, appointed under the Resolves of last March. 

W. B. WASHBURN. 



EXPOSITION AT yiENNA-1873. 



REPORT OF COMMISSIONER ADAMS. 



As Commissioner of the State of Massachusetts, appointed 
under chapter 6 of the Resolves of 1873, to visit the Univer- 
sal Exposition at Vienna, I have the honor to submit the fol- 
lowing Report : — 

Under the first section of the Resolve referred to, the gov- 
ernor, with the advice and consent of the council, was author- 
ized to appoint a citizen of the Commonwealth, and such 
associates as might be necessary, to visit the Universal 
Exposition at Vienna, to assist the contributors from the 
State, to examine the various industries, manufactures and 
economies which might be exhibited or presented, and to 
report thereon to the legislature of 1874. A sum not ex- 
ceeding $12,000 was appropriated to carry into effect the 
provisions of the Resolve ; which was passed and received 
the executive approval on the 3d of March, just fifty-eight 
days before the time fixed for the opening of the Exposi- 
tion. Upon the 19th of the same month the nomination of 
the Commissioner was made and approved by the council, 
and eight days later Gen. John C. Palfrey, of Lowell, Hon. 
H. G. Knight, of Easthampton, and H. A. Hill, Esq., of 
Worcester, were appointed Associate Commissioners, with 
Mr. Frank D. Millett as secretary. A number of other gen- 
tlemen were at the same time joined to the Commission in a 
purely complimentary capacity. 

Of the gentlemen designated as Associate Commissioners, 
Messrs. Knight and Hill accepted their appointments, but 
that of Gen. Palfrey was declined on account of conflicting 
business relations. In the original organization of the Com- 



6 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

mission it had been supposed that Gen. Palfrey would repre- 
sent the largest and most important material interest of the 
Commonwealth, that of textile fabrics. His intimate ac- 
quaintance with these, and with the machinery used in their 
production, qualified him in an eminent degree to render ser- 
vice of real value. For this and other reasons his inability to 
accept the appointment proved in the event a thing deeply to 
be regretted. Of the other gentlemen appointed, Mr. Hill 
only was at the time in America. Mr. Knight was travelling 
in Italy and Mr. Millett was just completing his studies at the 
School of Art at Antwerp. 

As the commissions of the several appointees did not issue 
until the 20th of March, and the letter of instructions drawn 
up for the guidance of the Commissioner was dated subse- 
quently to that time, it naturally followed, as the Exposition 
was opened upon the day (May 1) which had been designated, 
that before arriving on the ground the Commissioners had no 
opportunity to confer with each other. They could not, 
therefore, decide upon any line of conduct, nor in any way 
organize in advance, either to aid the Massachusetts exposi- 
tors or to agree upon a division of their work. In point of 
fact, tiiey first met at Vienna several weeks after the Exposi- 
tion was open to the public, and about the time that the 
American department began to assume an appearance of 
order. 

It hardly needs to be said that this was a most unfortunate 
circumstance, both for the Commission itself and for the ex- 
positors from Massachusetts ; but under the circumstances it 
could not be avoided. Where men who are to act together 
in the performance of somewhat difficult duties in a foreign 
country are at the time of their appointment, immediately 
before those duties are to commence, both personally unknown 
to each other and scattered* over two continents, it is not easy 
to concentrate them for action. Everything was, in this case, 
done which could be done. Mr. Millett was communicated 
with and went immediately to Vienna, under instructions to 
effect such preliminary arrangements as might be practicable. 
He arrived there during the latter part of April, but was 
obliged to return to Antwerp before the 1st of May, necessarily 
having accomplished little, if anything. He was unable to get 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 7 

back to Vienna until the 7th of May. Mr. Hill and myself 
sailed from America on the 13th of April. Shortly after 
landing in Europe, I heard in Paris of the unfortunate difficul- 
ties which had arisen in the American department of the Ex- 
position, and of the suspension of the United States Commis- 
sioners by the authorities at Washington. Thereupon I at 
once went to Vienna, where I arrived on the evening of the 
1st of May, the day upon which the formal inaugurating cere- 
monies had taken place. I immediately put my own services, 
and those of the other gentlemen composing the State Com- 
mission, at the disposal of the American Minister and of 
those temporarily in charge of the American department, and, 
the occasion seeming to be one of a somewhat pressing 
nature, applied myself to the work of obtaining information 
as to the whereabouts of my colleagues. Certainly no circum- 
stances could well have arisen in which a well organized and 
self-possessed state commission might have proved of greater 
service, or have more fully justified its formation, than were 
then presented. The condition of afiairs in the American 
department was disgraceful, ludicrous and mortifying. The 
confusion was apparently complete. The work to be done 
was neither large nor difficult, — hardly equalling, indeed, the 
arrangements in this country of any ordinary Institute display 
or considerable County fair. Had any state commission been 
upon the spot, organized in advance, understanding itself and 
knowing both what ought to be done and how to do it, the 
conduct of the matter must inevitably and naturally have 
fallen into its hands. The difficulty would then at once have 
disappeared. Unfortunately, so far as the bringing about 
results was concerned, the Massachusetts Commission was in 
a less efiective state, if such a thing were possible, even than 
that of the United States. Just appointed and wholly unor- 
ganized, its members scattered over Europe and in no com- 
munication with each other, it illustrated with singular hap- 
piness the ordinary result of tardy public action. When, 
therefore, Mr. Jay and the gentlemen temporarily in charge 
expressed the utmost gratification at the prospect of having 
some organized body to relieve them from the embarrassing 
position in which they found themselves, it at once became 
evident that the Massachusetts Commission was in no condi- 



8 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

tion to perform that service. Before it could be made so, 
even through the most energetic telegraphing and correspond- 
ence, the occasion, fortunately for it, had passed away. While 
I was anxiously looking for the arrival of my several asso- 
ciates, the appointment of Mr. Jackson S. Schultz as United 
States Commissioner, in place of Gen. Van Buren, was 
announced, and at once solved the difficulty. 

In regard to the scandals and difficulties which gave such 
an unenviable notoriety to the American department during 
this period of the Exposition, neither my associates nor my- 
self at the time or since have found it necessary to express, or 
indeed to form, any opinion. It was painfully evident that 
the mismanagement had been complete from the beginning 
forward. It required no investigation to make that fact 
patent to any one. As to who was responsible for this result, 
or the motives which actuated them, these were subjects which 
it was wholly unnecessary for us to pass upon. After the 
arrival of Mr. Schultz, therefore, it only remained for us to 
consider maturely why we had been sent to Vienna, and, hav- 
ing arrived at some definite conclusions upon that subject, to 
devote ourselves to the work before us. 

Mr. Millett returned from Antwerp, and reported himself as 
ready to assume his duties as secretary on the 7th of May. 
Mr. Hill arrived upon the 11th of the same month. It was 
not until the 24th of May that Mr. Knight found himself able 
to reach Vienna, and his engagements in America were such 
that he was unable to remain there after the 26th of June. 
Consequently the Commission was deprived after that time of 
his assistance, and was practically reduced to Mr. Hill, Mr. 
Millett and myself. An office was secured and opened on the 
16th of May ; from which time until the 8th of October one 
or more of the Commissioners was in constant attendance at 
it. It was then finally closed by Mr. Millett, and all its docu- 
ments and records forwarded to America. I had previously 
left Vienna on the 10th of August, and Mr. Hill had followed 
on the 1st of September. Altogether the office was open and 
the Commissioners were in Vienna during five months of the 
Exposition, which lasted in all but six mouths. 

I do not propose to enter into any general, historical, de- 
scriptive or statistical report of the Vienna Exposition. Upon 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 9 

all these matters the country has been kept so very fully 
informed by the writers for the public press, that any farther 
details as regards them in my power to supply would seem to 
be quite superfluous. As, however, preparations are now 
making for the American Centennial of 1876, in Avhich Massa- 
chusetts as a State will not improbably feel obliged to take a 
prominent part, I shall briefly refer to a few points, a due 
consideration of which, as it seems to me, may save us from 
grave mistakes. It is true that Massachusetts is not directly 
k responsible for this undertaking, and can exercise but a very 
limited influence in its direction. But if, as is proposed, it is 
to be a national afiair, — and as such it will necessarily be 
regarded in all foreign countries, — the practical questions 
connected with it become matters of moment to each of the 
several States. 

As a universal exposition, that of Vienna was undoubtedly 
the largest and most ambitious attempt of the kind which has 
yet been made. In some respects it was a most brilliant and 
gratifying success ; in others it cannot but be considered as a 
very lamentable failure. From the careful study of it in each 
aspect, many useful lessons touching the coming Centennial 
might be drawn. Among the features of success were the 
structures and the surrounding grounds, which were all upon 
a scale of unprecedented magnitude. Yet magnificent and 
imposing as respects constructive skill and the space covered 
by them as these unquestionably were, the buildings can 
hardly be considered as having been well adapted to the pur- 
poses for which they were designed. They were laid out for 
their proposed occupants on the geographical plan : that is, 
taking them in order, the visitor passed through the whole 
range of countries as they occupy the surface of the earth, the 
Americas being at one extremity and Eastern Asia at the 
other. This is an admirable arrangement for a bazaar, in 
which the largest possible sales by expositors is the single 
end in view ; and it so proved in this case. If, however, an 
exposition building is designed, not as a general sales-room 
of the world, but as a competitive field of excellence, a worse 
arrangement than that described could scarcely be devised. 
At Vienna, productions of the same nature from different 
countries were not only not brought into contrast and com- 
2 



10 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

parison, as at the last Paris Exposition, but they seemed 
to be so placed that both comparison and contrast were 
impossible. Not only a guide, but a very experienced 
and competent guide, — one who had made a special study 
of a class of objects, — was an absolute necessity to any 
one who sought to examine all that the Exposition contained 
of objects of that class. Both morally and physically, the 
search was made as wearisome and exhausting as was possible. 
The investigator was equally oppressed with the number 
and variety of the exhibits discovered, and by the distance 
traversed in the journey of discovery. The method of 
arrangement thus became a practical matter, detracting most 
seric^usly from the general popularity of the enterprise. For 
the great mass of those, the presence of whom decides the 
success or failure of such undertakings, — the travellers and 
the buyers, — are brought together from motives of curiosity 
or in search of amusement. One principal object always, there- 
fore, to be kept in view should be to render the work of examin- 
ation as little fatiguing as possible. At Vienna it was a severe 
and unattractive labor. The Exposition, therefore, speedily 
became unpopular with the general public, and very few, who 
were not compelled to, paid it either long or frequent visits. 

This deficiency as regards detail was in fact the point of 
weakness throughout the undertaking. The conception was 
very large and- fine, perhaps too much so, but it was not sus- 
tained by any corresponding faculty for organization. A few 
men, indeed it might practically be said that one man, 
attempted to supervise everything and to do everything. 
Subordinates were mere ciphers. But to secure the success of 
an enterprise of this description, a good organizing and exec- 
utive mind is even more indispensable than a large conceiving 
mind. Indeed, it is not difficult to imagine, or to procure 
designs for the largest buildings or the most perfect collection 
of industrial products which the world has yet seen, and by 
a sufficiently lavish expenditure of money these conceptions 
may be more or less fully realized. The difficulty is in pro- 
ducing, with the least degree of friction and at the smallest 
cost, practical and harmonious results. In neither of these 
respects could the Vienna Exposition be regarded as a success. 
Indeed, few more perilous industrial undertakings could be 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 11 

devised for any community than the embarking in a world's 
fair, without first knowing exactly where to find that one man 
Trho both has a perfectly definite conception of what it is pro- 
posed to do and an equally definite conception of how it is to 
be done. An exposition cannot be made, through repeated 
failure, to result in ultimate success. Its fate depends wholly 
upon the concentration of its management and the executive 
capacity of its manager. At Vienna, while the concentra- 
tion was perfect, the executive capacity was deficient. The 
danger for Philadelphia will probably be found in the attempt 
to evolve a management out of a caucus, which cannot but 
result in the absence of every accessory to an assured success. 
Another point in its history having a decided significance 
for the Centennial, was the failure of the Vienna Exposition 
in respect to the number of visitors who attended it. It is 
true that this deficiency was partly due to special causes. A 
wide-spread apprehension of the cholera prevailed throughout 
Europe during almost the whole summer, and most exagger- 
ated reports of its ravages at Vienna were everywhere cur- 
rent. This, however, was but one of the minor causes which 
deterred people from going there ; it was not, indeed, even 
so influential as the systematic and outrageous extortions 
practised by the Viennese upon their visitors. During the 
later months of the Exposition these were not, perhaps, 
greater than might have been expected in any city under sim- 
ilar circumstances. A lasting reputation had, however, been 
achieved during the earlier weeks. The Viennese then 
showed the full spirit which ordinarily takes possession of 
the inhabitants of a provincial city which thinks it has 
for a time secured to itself the first-class attraction of a 
metropolis. It was thought that the whole world must 
come to the Exposition, — that it could not stay away ; and 
the natives prepared to take full advantage of the neces- 
sity. During the few days of assured confidence in the un- 
paralleled success of their great show, the extortions prac- 
tised upon strangers were so unblushing, so impudent, so 
aggravating, as to produce a lasting impression throughout 
Europe. This was especially the case Avith the English and 
the Americans, — the two people most lavish in their expendi- 
ture of money, — among whom a bitter prejudice was created 
which was not subsequently efikced. 



12 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

But apart from these two minor considerations, which un- 
questionably had a considerable effect in diminishing the num- 
ber of visitors after the month of May, there was another and 
far more fundamental fact which the Austrian authorities lost 
sight of in planning their enterprise, and which their experi- 
ence should w^arn us not to disregard. There is excellent 
reason to believe that their experiment was upon a scale alto- 
gether too large for its base and surroundings. In other 
words, it is very questionable whether an exposition of the su- 
perlative grandeur of that of Vienna can ever be successfully 
undertaken in any city of the second class. There are two 
cities, — London and Paris, — sufficiently large and sufficiently 
central to sustain a world's fair on the largest scale ; — it is 
very doubtful if there are more than two. At least one-half 
probably of those who enter the doors of an international ex- 
position belong to the population of the city in which it is 
held. That population must always constitute the great basis 
of attendance. In this respect no other cities at all approach 
London or Paris, and through them also passes the whole 
world which travels, whether for business or pleasure. It 
is not so with Vienna, and it is less so yet with Philadelphia. 
With neither of these cities are strangers familiar. They 
will, indeed, go to them if drawn there by sufficient attrac- 
tion, but they cannot be induced to remain in them„ This fact 
was singularly illustrated during the last summer. The capital 
of the Austrian Empire certainly has the reputation of being a 
gay, a brilliant, an interesting and not a peculiarly severe or 
virtuous city. Nevertheless, even during the last summer, it 
was found impossible to keep the throng of travellers there 
for any length of time. It was most noticeable that numbers 
continually arrived with the expressed intention of passing- 
weeks in the study of the Exposition, as had been so much 
the practise among strangers, both at London in 1862 and at 
Paris in 1867. Almost invariably, however, the stay of such 
persons was limited to two or perhaps three days. They seemed 
to weary of the place, and of the Exposition even more than 
of the place. The latter oppressed them, and Vienna failed 
to attract them ; — they were neither amused nor instructed 
nor comfortable. They soon realized that they were getting 
very littk enjoyment in return for a very heavy expenditure, 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 13 

and, accordingly, they went elsewhere. Day by day after the 
Exposition was opened, it thus became more and more apparent 
that it was a world's fair held at a point which was not a world's 
centre. On the contrary, the world had to go out of its way to 
. get to it. Something more attractive than a universal expo- 
sition, no matter how wonderful, was required to keep people 
away from their familiar haunts. Notwithstanding every con- 
ceivable effort to create amusement in large things and in 
small, — from endless concerts and beer-gardens to the regu- 
larly arranged arrival and departure of every considerable 
sovereign or eminent public character in Europe, — ^there were, 
during the very months that the Exposition lasted, more 
travellers and strangers in either London or Paris than in Vi- 
enna, and they also remained in those cities for a longer time. 
The whole undertaking had, however, been planned upon 
the assumption that all previous efforts in the same line 
were to be wholly eclipsed. As respects magnitude of 
apparatus they were eclipsed, and the financial failure was 
in perfect correspondence. The necessary preparation to 
out-do everything which had gone before was made. Un- 
fortunately, those for whose benefit it was made failed to 
respond. 

The consequent financial experience was very suggestive. 
The appropriation originally made by the government on ac- 
count of the Exposition was $3,000,000, which it was further 
provided was in no case to be exceeded. The total cost will 
probably be found to amount to over $12,000,000, as the re- 
ceipts from visitors were scarcely sufficient to meet the cur- 
rent expenses ; leaving a deficit of some $9,000,000 to be met 
by the Austrian government. And yet, even from this lam- 
entable showing, it would not be safe to draw any inferences 
in disparagement of the Vienna Exposition as affecting the 
people of Austria, or of the Centennial as affecting the peo- 
ple of this country. The influence of such an experience 
cannot easily be measured in dollars and cents. On the con- 
trary, there can scarcely remain a doubt in the mind of any 
careful observer, at all familiar with the progress of recent 
Austrian development, that the Exposition, even had it re- 
sulted in a deficit twice as large as that stated, would have 
been worth far more than it cost. Its educational effects can 



14 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

hardly fail to be incalculable. The people of Austria intel- 
lectually, politically and industrially are in a state of active 
transition. The disastrous results of the campaign of 1866 
drove the Empire into a course of decided political and educa- 
tional reform. The absolute necessity of a re-organization was * 
made apparent even to those most wedded to the old ways, 
and from the battle of Sadowa may be dated a new era in Aus- 
trian history. Seven years of education had made their in- 
fluence perceptibly felt in every department of national life, 
and not least in its industries. There was a general awaken- 
ing. Upon a people in this receptive condition the efiect of a 
universal exposition like that of the last summer cannot easily 
be overestimated. It is probably not too much to say that 
for the next score of years everything inventive or industrial 
in Austria will date a new impetus from it, as everything 
educational and political already dates from Sadowa. 

Nor will the experience of Austria, if this expectation 
should be realized, be peculiar to herself. A remarkable 
illustration of a similar impetus given to English industries 
by the previous expositions at London was observable at 
Vienna. It was there generally conceded that the most brill- 
iant success won was in the department of the ceramic arts, 
and in this the palm was generally conceded to the English 
exhibitors. The progress made by them, and the absolute 
excellence they had attained, were most noteworthy. This 
was attributed to the improved education and increased 
artistic taste of the country, largely due to the influence 
of the South Kensington Museum and the system of art 
schools of which that museum is the great centre. These 
again originated out of the first London Exposition of 1851, 
and remain as a lasting monument to its success and utility. 

A more correct appreciation of circumstances and a more 
perfect organization of details, would obviate in a very great 
degree as respects the Centennial the danger of any such dis- 
astrous financial results as those experienced at Vienna. 
That which may be possible in London or Paris may be 
impracticable at Philadelphia. If, however, this apprecia- 
tion of circumstances and regard to details could but be 
secured, it may well be questioned whether any civilized peo- 
ple is in a condition to derive more immediate or more im- 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 15 

portant results from a successful world's fair, than are now 
the people of this country. They are in no respect in the 
condition of the people of Austria ; but it was impossible to 
examine the rare display at Vienna, without being deeply 
impressed with a sense of the educational results to be 
derived by America from a similar experience. As respects 
taste and artistic development, — in all the results of a higher 
and more thorough education, — our people are as yet sadly 
deficient ; they need an impetus. No one could walk through 
the Exposition at Vienna and not experience a realizing sense 
of the fact. Should the Philadelphia Centennial lead to such 
results with us as the Exposition of 1851 did with the people 
of England, — should it leave behind it with us, as that did with 
them, a keener appreciation both of our national shortcomings 
and our possibilities, — it will not be otherwise than a brilliant 
success, even if it bequeaths us also a deficit as large as 
that which the Austrian authorities are now contemplating 
with disappointment and dismay. 

These are not, however, matters which my colleagues or 
myself were especially directed to investigate. The objects 
for which a state commission had been sent to Vienna, and 
which we were necessarily to keep in view, were more par- 
ticularly expressed in the language of the Resolve authorizing 
our appointment, which has already been quoted, and in the 
letter of instructions of April 10th, addressed to me by the 
governor, a copy of which is appended to this report. Recur- 
ring to these, it will be observed that the duty of aiding the 
Massachusetts contributors was especially imposed upon us. 
In this respect we found the field of our usefulness extremely 
limited. Had the Commission been authorized and appointed 
a year earlier, the case might have been very different. The 
Commissioners then would have organized the Massachusetts 
exposition, would have been familiar with the 'conditions 
under which the contributions were to be forwarded and 
displayed, and would have been somewhat advised both as to 
what was expected of them and what it would be in their 
power to accomplish. As it was, all that was done in the 
way of organization at all, had been done by the Commis- 
sioners of the United States before our appointment was even 
contemplated. It was entirely out of the question, therefore, 



16 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

for us to be of any service in the work of preparation, or 
to assist contributors in forwarding their goods. It only 
remained to hurry to Vienna, without the possibility of 
arriving there before every article should have been in its 
place. When we did arrive there, we found, it is true, 
nothing in place, and the Massachusetts expositors, in com- 
mon with all of those from America, utterly paralyzed by the 
troubles in the United States Commission. I have already 
sufficiently referred to these, and to the extreme care with 
which my colleagues and myself abstained from all participa- 
tion in them. Meanwhile, even had our Commission then 
been in a thoroughly effective condition, it would have been 
wholly out of the question for it to separate the Massachusetts 
from the other expositors. A state commission had, of course, 
no recognized position with the Austrian authorities, and could 
Communicate with them only through the representative of 
the United States. There can hardly be said to have been 
any such representative until after the arrival of Mr. Schultz, 
when everything that could be done for the expositors of any 
State was done for all. Circumstances would afterwards 
occasionally arise to induce some Massachusetts exhibitor to 
apply to us for advice or assistance ; such occurrences were, 
however, rare, and the matters presented trivial. In fact, 
judging by my own experience at Vienna, I should say that 
in this respect any state commission was wholly superfluous ; 
no field of usefulness is open to it. It can, if properly organ- 
ized, do a great deal of work of the utmost value in the earlier 
stages of preparation, — Avhile the display of goods is being 
gotten together and forwarded, — but after the expositor is 
on the ground, he must necessarily look to the national repre- 
sentatives, and those of a State are, so far as he is concerned, 
of about as much value as would be those of his county or 
town. The most they can do is to be at hand in case they are 
wanted to supply a vacancy, such as arose in Vienna, among 
those really in charge. They then, however, cease to be State 
and become national commissioners. 

As it was practically out of their power to render any 
material aid to the Massachusetts contributors, it only re- 
mained for the Commissioners to give their undivided atten- 
tion to the work of investigation imposed upon them ; to 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 17 

examine the industries, manufactures and economies pre- 
sented with a view to bringing back in a body of reports the 
largest amount possible of information likely to prove useful 
to the people of the State. I have no intention of attempting 
any elaborate report myself, either upon the exhibition as a 
whole or the American department in it, or upon the Massachu- 
setts representation in that department. I do not either feel 
myself competent to undertake such a task, nor was I appointed 
with the expectation that I should do so. Speaking, generally, 
however, and taking into account the civilization, the wealth, 
the standing and above all the pride of the country which 
contributed it, the American department was the least credit- 
able part of the Exposition. The exhibit of machinery saved 
it from being wholly discreditable, and the educational depart- 
ment excited some general interest. Including these redeem- 
ing features, however, the whole result would have reflected 
no credit w^iatever on a Worcester County fair. 

The official classification divided the articles in the whole 
Exposition into twenty-six- groups. In twenty-three of these 
America was more or less represented, though in all but one the 
representation was in no way calculated to give a correct im- 
pression of our progress or condition as a people. The difficulty 
had evidently lain in the work of preliminary organization. It 
was quite apparent from the most superficial examination that 
such articles as were there had been in greatest part gotten 
together at hap-hazard ; and that, while few things had been 
judiciously selected, absolutely nothing had been rejected. 
It would have been far better, so far as the general impres- 
sion created was concerned, if all else had been rejected and 
our contributions had been Avholly confined to the hall of 
machinery. A walk through the American department left 
on the mind an unpleasant impression of meagreness in pro- 
duction, absence of taste and poverty of imagination, which, 
was even painful if the visitor happened to approach it throuo-h 
the superb English and French displays next to it in order of 
arrangement. 

Appended to this Report tables are submitted showing, — 
First. The entire number of American exhibits, with the 
groups to which they severally belonged, and the medals or- 
diplomas of each description awarded to them. 

3 



18 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

Second. A similar table relating solely to the Massachu- 
setts exhibits. 

Third. A table showing the contributions of the several 
States of the Union to each of the groups. 

Fourth. The diplomas or medals awarded in each of the 
groups to the exhibits of the several States ; and 

Fifth, A table of thirty-two of the leading industries of 
Massachusetts reported in the last United States census, show- 
ing the number of establishments engaged in each and the total 
value of their annual production, with the number of exhibits 
contributed by them to the Exposition. 

The last table reveals with sufficient distinctness the utterly 
imperfect character of the Massachusetts contributions, if they 
were intended in any way to reflect the industrial develop- 
ment of the State. Of the 3,926 establishments reported to 
the census as engaged in these thirty-two forms of produc- 
tion, but thirty-seven were represented. Seventeen of these 
thirty-seven contributions were in the single group of ma- 
chinery. Twenty of the thirty-seven industries enumerated 
were wholly unrepresented. Among those thus conspicuous 
for their absence were the manufactures of cars, of agricult- 
ural implements, of cutlery, of drugs and chemicals, of paper, 
of glass, of clothing, of prints, of plated ware, of straw-work, 
of watches, of wire and worsted goods. Of the 1,123 estab- 
lishments engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, three 
contributed. One solitary contributor, only, represented our 
annual production of $45,000,000 of cotton goods. Our 
famous edge-tools, our India-rubber goods, our musical in- 
struments and our woodenware numbered also one con- 
tributor each. Our woollen goods had two. 

Turning to the several groups, and excluding the educa- 
tional department, in regard to which a special report will be 
made by Mr. Philbrick, the commissioner in charge, it will 
be seen that in eleven out of the twenty -five the State was 
wholly unrepresented. In this number were included all the 
departments of art, metallurgy, agriculture and horticulture ; 
stone, earthenware and glass ; all small wares and fancy goods ; 
paper and stationery ; civil engineering and architecture ; and 
interior household decoration and arrangement. In four of 
the fourteen groups in which it was represented at all, it had 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100 19 

single contributions. In five it had two ; in one it had three ; 
in one it had four ; in one, that of textile fabrics, it had seven ; 
in one other, that of machinery, it had seventeen. Our man- 
ufacturers of condensed food and preserved fruit and vegeta- 
bles (Group lY.), exhibited two excellent examples, the one 
of canned articles, the other of cocoa and chocolate. Our 
engravers, book-printers, lithographers, photographers and 
decorators (Group. XII.) were represented by Prang's 
chromo-lithographs, which, with a solitarj^ landscape-painting 
by Mr. C. Granville Way, of Boston, were the sole indica- 
tions of progress in our artistic development. Our philo- 
sophical and surgical instruments (Group XIV.) were two 
models, the one of an "Hyperbolical Paraboloid," the other 
of an " Hyperboloid " and a " Hygrodiek." In the great field 
of chemical industries (Group III.), we were represented by 
some lubricating oil, some leather-dressing, and by the "Ris- 
ing Sun Stove Polish." 

It does not, of course, need to be said that no discrimina- 
tion whatever had been exercised as regards a selection of 
exhibits in the case of the State, any more tjian in that of the 
nation, and in six only of the fourteen Groups in which she 
was represented, were the contributions such as to call for 
special commendation. Among the textiles (Group Y.) were 
specimens of cassimeres, and of carpets of excellent quality 
produced in Massachusetts by Blackinton & Sons, of Xorth 
Adams, and by the Bigelow Carpet Co., of Clinton, though 
forwarded by New York selling agents. Gardner, Brewer & 
Co. also exhibited some superior shirtings, though these 
again were manufactured in New Hampshire. In Group YII. , 
the contribution of the Douglas Axe Co. was highly credit- 
able. In Group YIII., A. S. Parks, of Winchendon, exhib- 
ited water-pails, manufactured on the spot, and B. F. Stur- 
tevant, of Boston, some specimens of prepared wood for shoe- 
pegs, both of which exhibits received and deserved high com- 
mendation. In Group XY., our single contribution of mu- 
sical instruments — for our great piano manufacturers were 
not represented — were some highly creditable organs, from 
the Mason & Hamlin Organ Co., of Boston; and in Group 
XYI. the Smith & Wesson revolvers fairly represented our 



20 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

progress in fire-arms. In machinery only, however, was the 
Massachusetts contribution otherwise than a hiclicrous failure. 

In this Group (XIIL), the American exhibits generally 
attracted attention, on account of their merit and novelty, 
and, though by no means the best specimens of our mechanical 
engineering, did not reflect discredit. An examination of 
the list of awards will show, that in proportion to its exhibit- 
ors, the United States received a larger number of high prizes 
than any other country. The reason for this is not that the 
jury were lax or partial in their decisions, but that nearly 
every one of our machines, when compared with those of for- 
eign make, had some points of superiority. 

Massachusetts was not wantinof in contributins^ to this 
result. The wood-working machinery, the boot and shoe 
machinery and the wool-spinner were among the chief at- 
tractions of the Exposition, not only for the gazing crowd, but 
for experts ; and for this reason, in an official report, the 
exhibits from the State in this department should receive 
more than a merely passing notice. 

The collection of wood-working tools exhibited by Mr. B. 
D. Whitney, of Winchendon, without considering the novel- 
ties in design, were most creditable in point of construction, 
since they showed careful calculation and accurate workman- 
ship, for lack of which American tools have been too often 
exposed to criticism. Mr. Whitney's pail-machinery was 
sent only to interest visitors, and not as a new invention. 
His saw-bench and short planer, which were at the Paris 
Exposition in 1867, were unsurpassed by any similar tools on 
exhibition. The scraping-machine, designed to smooth the 
surface of small pieces of hard-wood, such as are used in cab- 
inet-making, was an entirely original invention. It performs 
its w^ork quicker and far better than is possible by hand-labor. 
In order to secure the peculiar edge required on the scraping- 
knife, a special grinding-machine was provided, without which 
the utility of the scraper would be much lessened. There 
was also a jig-saw, balanced in a novel way, so that it could 
be run at a high speed without producing the trembling 
which usually attends the action of such machines. The most 
prominent of his exhibits, and the one which was brought into 
competition with those of nearly every manufacturer at the 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 21 

Exposition, was the improved band-saw, in which he has 
accomplished two things, which are essential to its perfect 
working, viz. : a suitable surface for the back of the saw to 
rub against, and an automatic device to keep the tension of 
the saw-blade uniform. 

The firm of Witherby, Rugg & Richardson, of Worcester, 
had a planing-machine for general work which possessed sev- 
eral advantages. In some way it was unfortunately injured 
in transit, so that its operation was rather imperfect. 

The Knapp dovetailing machine, from Northampton, was in 
constant operation. It makes a form of dovetail which can 
be used whenever machine-dovetailing is admissable. For 
rapidity and accuracy of work it can hardly be excelled. 

The continuous wool-spinner exhibited by Mr. J. G. Avery, 
of Spencer, was one of the most interesting exhibits in the 
hall. By a simple and ingenious device, a motion is attained 
in drawing out the roving anjl reducing it to yarn, which 
imitates that of the arm of a hand workman. As the material 
is drawn constantly from the spool, and continuously wound 
upon the bobbin, the capacity of the machine is at least double 
that of those now in use. There are in addition several small 
contrivances which greatly increase its efficiency. 

The set of shoe-machinery was most complete of its kind, 
and the only one worthy of mention in the Exposition. Dur- 
ing several hours in the day, workmen were engaged in mak- 
ing shoes, or in showing the operation of special machines. 
The pegging- machines, roller, sewing-machines and burnisher, 
from the Shoe Machinery Manufacturing Co. of Boston, were 
comparatively new. The " wire-nailer " was the more inter- 
esting, because the French showed a fiir inferior machine for 
the same work. The machines for making and attaching 
heels, sent by the Bigelow Heeling Machine Association, of 
Worcester, were exhibited for the first time. These machines 
make it possible to manufacture cheap heels from good or re- 
fuse stock, so that they Avill be as durable as when made in 
the ordinary way. There were also special devices for at- 
taching and finishing heels. The attention paid to labor-sav- 
ino: contrivances and to stren<?th in construction was notice- 
able. The enterprise of the representatives of this firm in 
persevering in the manufacture of shoes, although they were 



22 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

not allowed to sell them, deserves commeudation. A few 
shoe-machines, from T. A. Dodge, Cambridge — prominent 
among which was the well-known McKay sewing-machine — 
were brought in after the jury had finished its work, and 
therefore received no award. 

There were no laro^e iron-workinof tools from Massachu- 
setts, a fact which is the more astonishing when the repu- 
tation of our manufacturers is considered. Among the shop- 
fittings was a parallel-jawed vise by Mr. Thomas Hall, of 
Northampton ; one of a style peculiarly American, so con- 
trived that the jaws can be rapidly pulled backward and for- 
ward, and almost instantly fastened on any interposed object. 
The Morse Twist Drill Co. showed a case of their increase- 
twist drills and fluted reamers. The hand-knitting machine, 
from the Lamb Knitting Machine Co., at Chicopee Falls, and 
the Excelsior Gas Machine from Warren, sustained their rep- 
utation as standard machines. 

From this brief survey of the important Massachusetts 
mechanical exhibits, it will be seen that even in those depart- 
ments which were best represented, we had but two or three 
exhibitors, and the majority of kinds were nearly or wholly 
unrepresented. The only mitigating consideration is, that 
* what we did have was uniformly good, and carried away the 
highest honors. 

In comparison with the other States of America, Massachu- 
setts stood fourth in respect to the number of her contri- 
butions to the Exposition as a whole, being exceeded by New 
York, Ohio and Louisiana. Judged by the test of prizes 
awarded, the State stood second with Ohio in respect to their 
quality, being exceeded only by New York. A detailed list, 
both of the exhibitors from Massachusetts and of the prizes 
awarded them, will be found appended to this report. Of 
the fifty-five contributors from the State in fourteen groups, 
thirty-three received either prizes or honorable mention. Of 
these, however, the medals for progress and merit — the two 
highest awards, after the grand diplomas of honor — alone de- 
serve any great degree of consideration, the others having been 
so widely distributed as to lose their significance. Of the sixty- 
four medals of progress awarded to Americans, Massachu- 
setts received thirteen ; and of the 156 medals of merit, she 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 23 

received fifteen ; being in all twenty-eight medals, as com- 
pared with seventy-eight received by the New York exhibit- 
ors, twenty-eight by those from Ohio, and seventeen by those 
from Pennsylvania. Four diplomas of honor were, however, 
awarded to individual American expositors, two of whom 
were from Pennsylvania, and one each from Rhode Island and 
from New York. The four individuals thus distinguished 
were, Messrs. Sellers, for machine tools, Corliss, for his 
steam-engine. White for dentistry, and Wood for the inven- 
tion of the mowing-machine. It will be noticed that every 
State in the Union was represented by expositors, though no 
less than thirteen States numbered three or less. America was 
not, however, represented in ail the groups. Nothing was con- 
tributed to Group XIX. , which related to the arrangement and 
interior decoration of the private dwelling-house ; or to Group 
XXII., which was devoted to showing the influence of mu- 
seums of fine arts on industry; or to Group XXIV., w^hich 
was made up of objects of fine arts of the past, exhibited by 
their owners. In Group XXV., in which were included the 
fine arts of the present time, produced since 1862, the Ameri- 
can exposition was wretchedly and disgracefully inadequate. 
In Group XX., being the farm-house, its arrangements, fur- 
niture and utensils, Mr. F. H. Appletou, of West Peabody, 
furnished the solitary contribution, a modest plan of the farm 
owned and cultivated by him. In Group XXI., of national 
domestic industry, which included the superb potteries, por- 
celains, tapestries, laces, metal articles and carved work, 
Avhich w^ere the brilliant feature of the Exposition, the only 
American contributors were two young ladies, respectively 
from New York and Michigan, who sent, the one an "Em- 
broidered Picture," and the other a " Phantom Bouquet." In 
Group XXIIL, relating to art applied to religion, and Avhich 
included the entire ornamentation of all sacred edifices, the 
American contributions were two in number^ and both from 
New York, the one being a " Bronze Lectern," and the other 
an improved "Burial Casket." 

Turning from the American department to the Exposition 
as a whole, the general field was as rich in material for 
special reports of value as the particular field was barren. 
A very cursory examination, however, of most of the col- 



<j 



24 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

lections of public reports which have been made on previous 
Expositions supplies the means of forming a clear idea, both 
of the nature and value of these productions. As a rule they 
have added simply a heavy printing bill to the other expenses 
of representation. This experience the Massachusetts Com- 
missioners felt no ambition to repeat. A general report of 
our own could easily have been compiled, which would have 
included, in a compendious form, much that has already ap- 
peared in the columns of the press. A large body of per- 
functory reports of a similar character could also have been 
procured from others at a moderate cost. Neither of these 
methods of completing our work commended itself to our 
judgment. Very serious difficulties, however, presented 
themselves in the way of any systematic plan of reports cal- 
culated to be of real value. Two plans on which they might 
be prepared suggested themselves. The first looked to a 
comparison of results presented in the Vienna Exposition 
with those observed in the Expositions of London or of Paris. 
Such a comparison, properly instituted and developed by 
competent hands, should reveal more or less accurately the 
departments in which industry or art had made advances, or 
had retrograded, between the Expositions. Had it been 
within our power to develop this scheme of reports, the 
result could not but have been most instructive, as showing 
the hidden influences which had been and now were in oper- 
ation in different countries. The conception was, however, 
too general, and pre-supposed a command of means and of 
agents altogether beyond the reach of a state commission. 
The other plan was calculated to be of more immediate inter- 
est to Massachusetts. A very brief study of the Exposition 
sufficed to show, that, so far as America was concerned, the 
articles contributed to it were divided by a broad line of 
demarcation into two classes. In one class were included the 
articles of practical utility, including especially all labor-saving 
appliances ; in the other were those results of human skill, 
the production of which was due to a more educated hand or 
to a more developed artistic taste ; which showed a finer touch 
or a more thorough technical training. As regards the first 
class of exhibits, revealing a ready resource' and a great, 
though somewhat coarse, practical ingenuity, America, ev.n 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 25 

at Yienna, showed a sufficient degree of strength, and cer- 
tainly seemed to call for no reports from public agents. It 
would indeed be little less than a dis[)lay of folly for a body 
of state officials, with, at best, very general information, to 
undertake to instruct in the details of their business men 
managing interests, the annual product of which amounts to 
tens of millions of dollars. It is not to government reports 
that these men go for information. There was little prob- 
ability that we could discover much that has escaped their 
search, even if they were not themselves on the ground in 
person, or by their representatives. It is not so, however, as 
regards the exhibits of the second class. No richer field of 
instruction for Massachusetts industry could have been de- 
sired than was presented at Vienna in the display of articles, 
the excellence of which lay in the nice skill or educated taste 
or thorough training of those who produced them. America 
was here immeasurably behind all leading competitors. 
After full consideration, therefore, it was determined to 
devote especial attention to securing detailed reports bearing 
upon the exhibits belonging to this class, and to confine the 
reports relating to machinery and labor-saving inventions 
within very general limits. A comprehensive schedule was 
accordingly prepared, and it remained only to secure the ser- 
vices of the specialists competent to develop its several parts. 
But here again was encountered the great obstacle of an 
imperfect organization. Our scheme included some thirty 
papers on various subjects, a special prominence being given 
to the exhibits in Group XXII., described in the official 
catalogue as that part of the exhibition showing the organ- 
ization and influence of museums of fine art as applied to 
industry, — to which group, it will be remembered, not a sin- 
gle contribution was made by America. We further desired 
to procure more or less thorough and authoritative infor- 
mation on the recent developments in the production of 
pottery, porcelain and the ceramic arts generally, — in which 
this Exposition was wonderfully rich, — on gold and silver 
wares ; embroideries and fine textile fabrics ; on paintings, 
bronzes, statuary and engravings ; on glass and on manu- 
facturies of ivory, of paper and of leather. A body of reports, 
some twenty in number, were promised us, all of which, we 

4 



26 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

believe, are of value, and many of which have already been 
completed, and are now in our hands ready for publication. 
As a whole, however, the design could not be carried out. 
The cause of our failure to do all that we hoped to do in this 
respect, I shall hereafter refer to more fully. At present it 
is sufficient to say that we had relied upon finding at Vienna, 
upon the juries, in the national commission, or among the 
Americans drawn thither by the Exposition, many who were 
interested in specialties, and from w^iom suggestions and even 
reports might be procured. A few such there were, and to 
them we ow^e those portions of the general plan of our reports 
which we succeeded in procuring. The result, however, 
constitutes at best but a series of fragments. As a rule, the 
material we had to work with was of the most discourao^ino: 
description, from which no results worthy of preservation 
could be expected. Even where men of v character and 
knowledge were found, in the great majority of cases they 
were either so disgusted wi.h the disrepute into which Amer- 
ica and Americans had alien, that they refused to assume any 
labor in connection with the Exposition, or they remained at 
Vienna merely long enough to get an idea of what the Expo- 
sition contained, and then dismissed the whole subject as 
rapidly as possible from their minds. Two examples will 
illustrate the disappointments the Commissioners had to en- 
counter in this respect. The production of paper and glass 
is among the most promising industries of Massachusetts, 
and admits of great development. In both, the Vienna 
Exposition was peculiarly rich; and to the manufactured 
results of both artistic taste and technical skill have of late 
years contributed a greatly increased value. In spite of the 
most careful inquiry, however, we were unable to discover 
any one possessing a knowledge of the growth or present 
condition of these industries in Massachusetts, who would 
undertake to furnish a paper upon them. A formal and su- 
perficial report could of course have been procured with little 
ti'ouble and at small expense. It was not, however, deemed 
advisable in securing the requisite quantity of reports to 
evince a too complete disregard of their quality. 

Under these circumstances, long before the labors of the 
Commission were brought to a close, the fact of a practical 



1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



27 



failure in our mission had become very evident to me. Tlie 
failure was due to either of two causes — to the defective 
organization of the Commission at home, or to the absence of 
the material necessary for it to work with at Vienna. The 
Commission had not been selected with a view to its beino^ 
complete in itself, and it failed to secure outside of itself the 
assistance necessary to carry out any broad plan of general 
review. Whatever the cause, however, and whether person- 
ally responsible for it or not, I early concluded that there was 
but one course to be pursued. The fact of failure must be 
met squarely, and in this way only could it be converted into 
a success. Instead of attempting to silently ignore the un- 
satisfactory results of our mission, or to conceal them under 
a cloud of perfunctory platitudes, it seemed to me our duty 
to state them with all possible precision of language, to the 
end that the Commonwealth might derive from our experience 
the most definite conclusions for its future guidance. For to 
me it is very clear that the Vienna Exposition is not destined 
to be the last of its kind. Whether financially it proved a 
success or a failure is matter of small moment, so far as the 
continuance of the great succession of international fairs is 
concerned. They constitute a part of the machinery of 
modern development. As mere bazaars of the nations, if as 
nothing else, they are destined :o an indefinite repetition ; for 
as sensational sales-rooms they are profitable. Others will 
then hereafter take place in which it will be well for Massa- 
chusetts to take her part. Many and obvious reasons Avill 
render such a course advisable. The people of Massachusetts 
form a community, the whole future prosperity of which 
depends upon its maintaining a superiority over others in 
matters of education, of ingenuity and of skill. The figures 
of the census are significant of coming danger in these 
respects. Our people will have to follow the path which 
others have trodden before, and consent to accept lessons 
from all who can teach them. We, no less than the people 
of England, of France and of Austria can learn much in 
these great industrial arenas, where our products will be 
brought in contact and comparison with those of other com- 
munities before our own eyes and those of the world. The 
State itself, also, as an educator, may derive most useful les- 



28 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

sons from the experience ; for here in America we are at best 
too far removed from what are still and will long remain the 
great models of art and the most thorough systems of instruc- 
tion. If, however, the State is to take her part with other 
civilized communities in these tests of relative development, it 
is a matter of no small import that she should appear in a 
manner not unworthy of herself. If this could hereafter be 
secured, it would be perhaps the best and richest result possi- 
ble to be derived from her own and the nation's experience 
at Vienna. In no event, however, should that experience be 
repeated. That it may not be repeated, it is proper that the 
truth in regard to it should be told, even though it prove 
somewhat unpalatable. In doing this, it will be necessary for 
me to refer to the national representation and that of other 
States as well as of Massachusetts, though no individual 
application belongs to any of my remarks. 

A nation or a community in entering upon the competition 
of a world's fair must have one or both of two objects in view ; 
it must go there to exhibit, or it must go there to observe. 
In going there, however, for the one object or the other, or 
for the two combined, there is, after the experience we now 
have of such undertakings, no possible excuse for any people 
in going so unprepared or so represented as to either fail in 
accomplishing the objects it has in view, or to humiliate itself 
and its citizens in the eyes of those with whom it proposes 
to compete. Whether to exhibit or to observe, however, it is 
not too much to say that the entire arrangement of the 
American organization at Vienna, both state and national, 
was an utter, entire and disgraceful failure ; a failure in con- 
ception and a failure in execution; a failure unjust to our 
industries, discreditable to the country and humiliating to 
those more immediately concerned. To us representing the 
State upon the spot, it was painful to think of what the Mas- 
sachusetts exposition might easily have been made, — most 
mortifying to see what it was. A better opportiuiity to achieve 
a great and brilliant success in the eyes of all civilized nations 
was never ofiered to any community than was lost by the 
Commonwealth at Vienna. It was lost simply from the fact 
that the State as such undertook to participate without pre- 
viously having any definite idea either as to what it proposed 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 29 

to do, or how it proposed to do it. The means appropriated 
to the end were ample ; the matured design was wanting. In 
this and in every similar case all depends upon thoroughness 
of preparation. The course which should have been pursued 
is now perfectly apparent. The legislative action taken in 
February, 1873, should have been taken in February, 1872, 
and the Commissioners who were to carry the design into 
execution should then immediately have been selected. By 
them the State should have been thoroughly canvassed and 
its industries marshalled ; those best representing its products 
should have been interested in the scheme, and their contri- 
butions collected and shipped, while the agents of the Com- 
monwealth should have been upon the ground to receive them 
as early as January, 1873. Had this been done, no one at 
all familiar with the resources and results of her indusirj^ can 
for an instant doubt that the triumph of Massachusetts would 
have been as conspicuous as was the failure of the United 
States ; the state would have redeemed the credit of the 
nation. It is idle to regret an opportunity lost, but, in 
future, it will be for Massachusetts to remember that it is 
better, much better, not to appear at all, than unworthily 
to exhibit herself at a world's fair. A worthy appearance 
cannot be improvised ; it implies labor, prevision and ex- 
perience. Money even is less necessary than organization ; 
unless this last is provided, both the state and its citizens had 
best stay at home. 

All this, however, related merely to the Exposition as a 
mart, — to the sales-room only into which all countries brought 
their choicest products in competition with each other. But 
a no less pointed lesson of experience can be drawn from the 
manner in which we approach the Exposition as a school. 
It was not possible to look at the amazing results of science 
and skill there displayed, and not be impressed with the 
inexhaustible wealth of suggestion they contained for any 
American community. There is probably no other people 
which could draw so many benefits from it. But to secure 
those benefits it was necessary that the displayed, and yet 
more the hidden resources of the Exposition should be stud- 
ied and developed by men who were masters of their subjects. 
As a rule, however, the men selected oJOScially to represent 



30 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

America were even less creditable to the country than were 
the wares. It would convey a wholly erroneous impression 
to say that among the many Americans present during the 
Exposition, and occupying more or less official relations with it, 
there were not some competent to fill the positions in which they 
found themselves placed. It was, however, a melancholy fact 
that this was the exception and not the rule. The various or- 
ganizations, as a whole, where the furthest possible from what 
they should have been. This criticism applied to all, from 
the commission of the United States down through those of 
the several States, and to our representatives on the juries. 
I have already sufficiently referred to the strenuous and very 
partially successful efforts made to discover the material which 
would enable us to carry out the plan of special reports which 
we had conceived. As a rule, our researches brought to light 
only a noticeable absence both of education and of a thorough 
practical knowledge of specialties. It surely should be a 
fair matter for presumption, that individuals selected to repre- 
sent America upon international juries, which are to pass 
upon the relative excellence of the best results of the indus- 
tries of all civilized countries, would know something. In far 
too many instances, those Americans who were appointed to 
this honorable function at Vienna seemed to fail as regards 
this elementary pre-requisite. It was thus no unusual circum- 
stance to fiud an individual holding the position of a judge, 
whose ignorance of the subject-matter under discussion was 
only surpassed by his ignorance of the language in which the 
discussion was necessarily conducted. Certain men there 
were upon the juries amply competent to fill any position, — 
men of education, at home in the languages and thoroughly 
versed in their specialties. These, however, constituted 
brilliant exceptions to the general rule of incompetence. As 
a whole, the American official representation was a curious 
and instructive commentary in the eyes of all other countries 
of both hemispheres upon our national system of appointment 
to office. Previous qualification for the performance of du- 
ties had apparently not been regarded as requisite. There 
accordingly had flocked to Vienna a motley accumulation of 
nondescripts, the highest general ambition among whom ap- 
peared to be a mention in reportorial paragraphs, — newspaper 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 31 

celebrities in matters of education, of science and of art. It 
was indeed matter of curious observation how very rarely the 
names of the true scientific authorities — those on the spot 
recognized as such — were ever mentioned ; and what frequent 
and noisy reference was made to others whose efforts were least 
appreciated by those most competent to judge of their w^orth. 
There were also in attendance a large number of others occu- 
p^dng positions more or less official, whose presence it was 
not easy to explain. They had certainly not been commis- 
sioned on account of any public service they were qualified to 
render, and it was difficult to appreciate the exact amount ot 
private benefit they w^ere deriving from their sojourn. They 
certainly knew^ nothing, and to all appearances they did noth- 
ing. They had apparently secured appointments abroad as an 
agreeable change from a monotonous and dreary idleness at 
home. These, how^ever, w^ere at least a negative element, — 
they were unnoticeable units in a vast aggregation of men. 
This could not, however, truthfully be said of all. There 
were those among accredited representatives, — especially 
" Honorary Commissioners " of certain of the States, — who 
reflected a direct discredit upon those by whom they were 
sent, and w^hom they were supposed to represent. Individ- 
uals w^ho could have received public credentials to the Exposi- 
tion for no conceivable reason except that they wished to see 
it, or had some less creditable ends in view, and regarded a 
governmental commission as a species of letter of credit. 

It surely need not be said that such a gathering as this is 
not one from which it is easy to procure complete or philo- 
sophical resumes of the results of modern progress. That 
we succeeded in securing so many as we did, is now^ somewhat 
of a matter of surprise to me. The lesson to be derived from 
this portion of our experience is, however, an obvious one. 
So far as studying results upon any general or comprehensive 
plan of value is concerned, I am persuaded that it is useless 
for Massachusetts or for any other individual State to send its 
agents to future Expositions. It is in fact a mere w^aste of 
public money. The end is out of all proportion to the 
means. The material to be met with on the spot is not 
sufficiently good or reliable, and the field of operations is 
too remote to justify the great expense which must of ueces- 



32 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

sity be incurred in selecting and sending to it a complete 
corps of specialists. The national government only could 
undertake the task ; and the experiences of the past do not 
justify any confident expectations for the future from that 
quarter. Should Massachusetts or any other state conclude, 
therefore, on any future occasion, that results of general im- 
portance to its people could be derived from a careful study 
of the exhibits in a world's fair, it must abstain from attempt- 
ing too much. The public press furnishes everything of a 
general and superficial character that any state commissioner 
could procure. The art of "cramming" is by it carried to 
perfection. Beyond this, however, a real want exists of ex- 
haustive studies in special departments. These, state com- 
missioners, if selected for that purpose, could supply better 
than any other agency. Take, for instance, the great branch 
of technical and artistic education which has already been re- 
ferred to. It has of late years undergone a surprising devel- 
opment in Europe, the results of which supplied its most inter- 
esting and instructive feature to the recent Exposition. It is 
now exciting the greatest interest among all thoughtful men 
in America, and promises infinite results in our immediate fu- 
ture. The Massachusetts commission might well have been 
organized with a single view to dealing thoroughly with this 
department. Had it been so organized, the end in view 
would have been strictly proportioned to the means at com- 
mand. To me, personally, from an early period after my ar- 
rival at Vienna, it has l)een a cause of deep regret that this 
view of the subject was not earlier taken. The experience 
came, however, too late, and it only remains to see that it is 
not again repeated. 

Meanwhile the American Centennial must now be prepared 
for. It is greatly to be regretted that those who are to rep- 
resent the Commonwealth there should not also have repre- 
sented it, as was the original design, at Vienna ; the ex- 
perience would have been invaluable. Meanwhile, if the re- 
sults of the Vienna Commission can be made to contribute to 
the successful participation of the State in the Centennial, the 
expense incurred in sending it out will prove a most fortunate 
outlay. The desired result can be secured in a very simple 
way. A timely organization must be effected. The work of 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 33 

preparing the contributions of any community for their proper 
display in an international exposition is now a profession in 
itself, which, among European nations, has been carried to a 
high degree of development. Almost every foreign govern- 
ment which participates has, among its agents, men whose ex- 
perience dates back to the Prince Albert original of 1851, and 
who know just what ought to be done and exactly how to do it. 
The organization effected bj^ these men is as perfect as experi- 
ence and familiarity with the work can make it. No progress 
in this direction has as yet been made in America. At Vienna, 
our authorities showed an utter inability to appreciate either 
the magnitude rind complexity of the undertaking, or the labor 
and devotion necessary to bring it to a successful issue. In 
our own failure, we both happily and forcibly illustrated almost 
every conceivable blunder which a people could commit ; while 
the course which ought to have been pursued was clearly indi- 
cated through the success of others. 

The work of preparation for 1876 cannot commence 
too soon in the several States. It should have commenced 
already. The legis'ature now in session ought at once to 
decide upon the course which Massachusetts as a state 
proposes to take. If it decide to do nothing, then that 
decision should be final, and should on no account here- 
after be reversed at a moment so late that action will be 
synonymous with failure. If, on the contrary, it is decided to 
enter into the affair with a local organization, the necessary 
provision for it should then immediately be made. Under no 
circumstances should our action be marked by hesitation, or 
by that tardiness which rendered barren the mission to Vienna. 
No action at all is better than action after the opportunity 
is lost. The simplest organization is the best, and to be 
efficient should be inexpensive. No cumbrous system of 
salaried commissioners, or of honorary commissioners with 
perquisites, is either necessary or desirable. Those who are to 
represent the State have already been designated. So far as 
any state organization, as such, is concerned, their duties 
should be merely advisory ; or, if it is thought proper or 
desirable to create another commission, then those appointed 
upon it should act simply as a board of unpaid trustees or 
directors, performing no executive duties themselves, but 

5 



34 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

supervising, counselling or authorizing the steps taken by 
him upon whom responsibility must finally rest. Their func- 
tion is an ornamental, and yet a most important, one ; they 
are to lend weight and character and authority to the occa- 
sion ; their names should inspire tbat faith and confidence 
in the undertaking without which success is not possible. 
To carry out the work of detail, upon which everything 
depends, a single secretary to the commissioners should be 
appointed, who should be the executive officer in charge. 
He should receive an adequate salary, and for the next three 
years his whole time and thought should be devoted to 
the success of the Massachusetts department. With the 
ordering of the aflfair as a whole, he would have no con- 
nection ; his duties would relate simply and solely to the 
share of his own state. No ordinary or inexperienced man 
could fulfil the duties of the position, for it is a great error 
to suppose that it is one either of holiday-work or newspaper 
renown. On the contrary, these incidents of the exposition 
business are for others, while only the dry, repulsive, tedi- 
ous labor of organization and of detail falls to the lot of the 
executive subordinate. Upon this subject many useful suggest- 
ions will be found in a valuable paper supplied to us by Prof. 
Thomas C Archer, of Edinburgh, the managing head of the 
museum at that place, whose long experience qualifies him 
to speak with the highest degree of authority. This report 
was procured with a view to its bearing on the Centennial 
Exposition, and is ready, with others, for immediate publi- 
cation, should the legislature so order. Meanwhile, as a 
practical example in point, the English commission at Vienna 
was probably as good an illustration as could be found. The 
means placed by the government at its disposal were small, 
but the results accomplished were all that could be desired. 
No department was better or more thoroughly organized than 
the British. The Prince of Wales was the president of the 
commission, which included fourteen other persons, all of the 
highest rank, or men well known from their connection with 
business, science or art. These constituted a species of board 
of direction, or of trustees, acting, of course, without pay. 
The secretary of the commission was Mr. Owen, of the South 
Kensington Museum ; and upon him, assisted by a small but 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 35 

very efficient staff of his own selection, devolved the whole 
responsibility and labor of execution. Mr. Owen was a very 
perfect illustration of what the " one-man power " ought to 
be, to which should be confided the work of oriranizinor a 
national department in a universal exposition. Naturally 
gifted with remarkable executive powers, he brought to his 
work a long experience and a great capacity for silent labor. 
He fully appreciated the magnitude and importance of his 
task, and devoted himself wholly and unreservedly to it. 
He knew perfectly well, both what had to be done, and how to 
go to work to do it. To him, therefore, was mainly due the 
very remarkable success of the British display. In him a 
competent agent had been secured, and he was not trammelled. 

If Massachusetts is to be properly represented at Phila- 
delphia, the work of organization should, with as little delay 
as possible, be entrusted to a similar agent. It would then 
be for him to acquaint himself thoroughly with the industries, 
science and art of the State, and to put himself in corre- 
spondence with those most willing and competent to represent 
them. It would devolve upon him to see that the plan of 
representation was perfect in all its parts ; and to be assured 
of this he must acquaint himself with the experience of other 
expositions. Such a labor requires high qualities of patience, 
industry, thorough education, and, above all, great powers of 
organization. It calls for a familiar acquaintance with all that 
Massachusetts has done, and with what she is now doing. 
To procure such an agent may not be easy, but unless he is pro- 
cured, and that in good time, the legislature can rest assured 
that, as respects confusion, waste of money, and poverty 
of result, the experience of Massachusetts at Philadelphia 
will be but a repetition on a small scale of that of the United 
States at Vienna. The idea that such an undertaking can be 
brought to a successful result, either through the action of 
any committee, or by means of melifluous oratory, enthusi- 
astic rallies and patriotic appeals, is wholly deceptive. It 
absolutely requires perfect concentration, silent work and 
exclusive devotion. 

There is good reason to believe that every condition exists 
necessary to make a decided success of the proposed Philadel- 
phia Centennial. The court pageant, which has played so brill- 



36 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 74. 

iant and essential a part in its great European prototypes will, 
it is true, necessarily be wanting. The mercantile element, 
however, which has proved the great main-spring of all recent 
expositions, will there be present in a more than ordinary 
degree. Throughout the civilized world America is known 
as a great market; as a market in which fabulous prices are 
paid, especially for those things which are rich or rare. 
Accordingly, all the leading producers cf the world, whether 
of objects of utility or of art, will wish to be represented. 
They will come with every conceivable product of human 
skill, and, more especially, with those a familiarity with which 
is in itself a liberal education, and the production of which 
offers well-nigh unlimited fields for American development. 
The zeal and public spirit with which the city and state most 
immediately concerned have thrown themselves into the un- 
dertaking have been most creditable, and, unaided, should 
suffice to secure the happiest results. All that is needed is a 
thorough concentration, economy and direction of force. 
The vulgar ambition of unprecedented bigness should be 
made to yield to an educated appreciation of excellence. 
There can be no question that the devotion of those who have 
the Centennial in charge will create in it a wide-spread and 
suffic ng interest. Mismanagement, arising from ignorance, 
incompetence and jobbery, — a repetition of the Vienna experi- 
ence, — will be the great danger to be apprehended. If that 
experience can now be turned to an immediate profit in pre- 
venting its own recurrence, we shall have some cause not 
wholly to deplore it. This, however, can onl}^ come frorri 
action, bo'.h intelligent and prompt, on the part of the vari- 
ous state governments, who will be the leading participants. 
Should this be deferred to the last moment, and then hastily 
improvised, those who rashly implicate themselves will proba- 
bly have as good ultimate cause for regret as did the vast 
majority of their countrymen, who, during the last summer, 
found themselves in any way offic a ly connected with the 
national fiasco at Vienna. 

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Jk. 



TABLES OF EXHIBITS, Etc. 



38 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 



EESOLVES 

Concerning the Universal Exposition at Vienna. 

Resolved^ That the governor? with the advice and consent of the 
council, is authorized to appoint a citizen of this Commonwealth and 
such associates as may be necessary, to visit the Universal Exposi- 
tion at Vienna, to assist the contributors from this State, to examine 
the various industries, manufactures and economies which may be 
exhibited or presented, and to report thereon to the legislature of 
eighteen hundred and seventy-four. 

Resolved, That there be appropriated, to be paid out of the 
treasury, such a sum, not exceeding twelve thousand dollars, as the 
governor and council may deem necessary to carry into effect the 
provisions of the foregoing resolve. 

Resolved, That there be appropriated, to be paid out of the treas- 
ury, a sum not exceeding three thousand dollars, to be expended 
under the direction of the governor and council, for the purpose of 
aiding in the proper representation at the Exposition of our S3^stem 
of education, and of obtaining therefrom information for the promo- 
tion of our educational interests. 

Approved March 3, 1873. 



LETTER OF INSTRUCTION. 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Executive Department, Boston, April 10th, 1873. 

My Dear Sir : — The duties of the representatives from this State 
to the Vienna Exposition are specified in the Resolve authorizing 
their appointment, and the language of that Resolve is quoted in the 
commissions given you and your associates under the seal of the 
Commonwealth. The general direction of the Commission is en- 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 39 

trusted to your discretion and judgment, and it is not doubted that 
3^ou will find your associates ready to accord cheerful cooperation, 
to the end that the largest and most valuable results may be 
obtained. The Commission will be expected to do what it properly 
can to promote the interests of contributors from this State to the 
Exposition, and afford them such reasonable assistance as may be 
necessary in securing opportunity for the fair display and examina- 
tion of their works. The appropriation made by the legislature will 
be subject to j^our order as the head of the Commission, and no bills 
for expenses incurred will be allowed except such as have your ap- 
proval, the intent of the governor and council being to put the 
financial management of the Commission in your hands. You are ex- 
pected to settle the reasonable necessary expenses of yourself and the 
associate commissioners now in this countr}^ in going to and return- 
ing from Vienna by the ordinary and most feasible route, as well as 
those of the associates now in Ejirope in travelling from points not 
further distant from Vienna than Paris or Antwerp. You are also 
expected to settle the reasonable necessary expenses of j^'ourself and 
associates while in Vienna, for such a period of time as you may 
judge it advisable to remain there, keeping in mind that the object 
of the State in authorizing the Commission is specifically to secure 
practical information at the Exposition for the benefit of our people. 
Authority is given you to employ such assistance in Vienna as you 
may deem it advisable to procure in carrying out this object, and 
for that assistance j^ou will make paj^ment at a fair rate of compen- 
sation, taking receipts that may be filed with j^our accounts as 
vouchers. And of all matters involving the expenditure of money, 
you will be expected to render an account as soon as possible after 
your return. 

Very truly yours, 

W. B. WASHBURN, 

Governor of the Commonwealth. 

Hon. Chas. Francis Adams, Jr., Boston, Mass. 



40 



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43 










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1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



45 



1 1 ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


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CO 


1 1 1 1 1 1 1 '-I 1 1 


(» 


(M 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 


tl 


t^ CM i-H CO 1 (M T-l 1 1 rH 




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General and Agricultural Machinery, . 
Philosophical Surgical Instruments, 

Musical Instruments, 

The Art of War, 

The Navy, 

Civil Engineering, Public Works and Archit're, 
The Farm-house, . . . . . " . 
National Domestic Industry, .... 

Art applied to Religion, 

Fine Art of the Present Time, . . . 
Total, 


XIII. 

; XIV. 

XV. 

XVI. 

XVII 

XVIII. 

XX. 

XXI. 

XXIII. 

XXV. 





46 



EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. 



[Feb. 



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1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



47 



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48 



EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. 



[Feb. 



No. 4. — Table showing the Diplomas or Medals aioarded to the Ex- 
hibits of the several States in each of the Groups. 



STATE. 


w 

o 

in J» 

aa 

"A 


o 

03 U 

J5 


t 


'u 

o 

a> 


O 
e3 

a 

O 
S 




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o 
o 
O 
u 
<2 , 

o 
"^ S 

rQ 03 
1^ 


O 
O 

O 


1 

OS 

o 


Xi2 


Alal^ama, 

California, 

Colorado, 

Connecticut, . 

District of Columbia, . 

Georgia, 

Illinois, . . ' . 

Indiana, .... 

Kansas, . . . . 

Kentucky, 

Louisiana, 

Maine, . . . . 

Massachusetts, 

Maryland, 

Michigan, 

Missouri, 

Mississippi, . 

Nevada, 

New York, 

New Jersey, . 

North Carolina, 

Ohio, . . . 

Pennsylvania, 

Rhode Island, 

Tennessee, 

Texas, . . . . 

Virginia, 

West Virginia, 

Vermont, 

Wisconsin, 

Miscellaneous, 


2 
9 

2 

23 
6 
1 

20 
5 
2 
8 

65 
1 

55 
4 
2 

33 

3 

1 

216 

15 
1 

86 

43 

12 
3 
1 
2 
1 
• 9 
2 

10 

643 


1 

1 

2 
1 


5 
4 

2 
13 

1 

23 

2 

7 
4 
2 

1 


1 

4 

9 
1 

6 

2 

2 
9 
1 
15 
1 

4 

1 

55 
3 

21 

13 

4 

1 

1 

1 
1 


6 
1 

6 
1 

3 

7 

5 
2 
1 
4 
1 

56 
6 

10 
6 

2 

1 

2 
2 

122 


1 
1 


4 
1 


3 
1 

1 

9 

7 


1 

9 

22 
3 

12 
4 

5 

18 

1 

34 

3 

1 

9 

1 

1 

149 

11 

46 

25 

9 

1 

1 

1 
3 
5 


1 

9 

19 
3 

12 
3 

5 

18 

1 

33 

3 

1 

9 

1 

1 

136 

11 

38 

25 

9 

1 

1 

1 
3 
5 


Total, 


5 


64 


156 


2 


5 


21 


375 


349 



1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



49 



No. 5. — Table shoiving the Number of Establishments engaged in 
each of thirty-tivo of the Leading Industries of Massachusetts^ as 
reported in the United States Census for 1870^ and the toted vcdue 
of their Annucd Production^ with the Number of Exhibits contri- 
buted by each to the Vienna Exposition. 







.o 
a 
m 










W ^ 




Cm 




Kind of Industky. 




Value of Products. 


O 

(» 

« 2, 


a 




s 1 






^ 


' 


5? 




'A 


1 


Boots and Shoes, .... 


1,123 


186,565,445 


3 


2 


Cars, 


6 


2,408,827 


- 


3 


Carriages, 


326 


4,038,656 


- 


4 


Buttons, 


9 


511,175 


- 


5 


Agricultural Implements, . 


37 


1,033,590 


- 


6 


Cutlery, 


12 


1,617,904 


- 


7 


Cotton Goods, . . . . . 


191 


44,832,375 


1 


8 


Fire-arms, 


12 


865,481 


3 


9 


Furniture, 


324 


11,522,448 


- 


10 


Drugs and Chemicals, 


22 


1,800,399 


— 


11 


Edgetools and Axes,. 


12 


969,224 


1 


12 


Glassware and AYindow Glass, 


14 


2,371,000 


- 


13 


India-rubber Goods, .... 


32 


3,183,218 


1 


14 


Instrunients, Prof, and Scientific, 


12 


328,800 


2 


15 


Leather, 


138 


9.984,497 


2 


16 


Machinery, 


316 


18,354.052 


17 


17 


Men's Clothing, .... 


446 


20,212,407 


- 


18 


Musical Instruments, 


60 


4.453,794 


1 


19 


Paper, 


95 


12,677,481 


- 


20 


Jeweliy, 


59 


2,342,025 


- 


21 


Prints, 


11 


17,325,150 


- 


22 


Paper Collars, . . . . ' . 


9 


997,000 


- 


23 


Saddlery and Harness, 


247 


1,503,994 


- 


24 


Plated Ware, . . . . . 


37 


1,012.100 


- 


25 


Nails and Tacks, .... 


43 


5,285,244 


3 


26 


Straw Goods, 


14 


4,869,514 


- 


27 


Watches, 


3 


1,281,160 


- 


28 


Whips and Canes, .... 


38 


604,367 


- 


29 


Wire, 


6 


2,354,672 


- 


30 


Woodenware, 


25 


538,402 


1 


31 


Wooden Goods, .... 


182 


39,489,242 


2 


32 


Worsted Goods, .... 
Totals, 


35 


8,280,541 


- 




3,796 


1313,514,184 


37 



50 VIENNA EXPOSITION. [Feb. 



LIST OF MASSACHUSETTS EXHIBITOES. 



Group I. 

Mining, Quarrying and Metallurgy. 

No Exhibits. 

Group II. 

Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry. 

No Exhibits. 

Group III. 

Chemical Industry. 

1. Morse Bros., .... Canton, . . Stove Polish. 

2. Hauthaway & Sons, . . . Boston, . . Leather Dressings. 

3. Nye, W. F., . . . . New Bedford, . Oils. 

Group IY. 

Substances of Food as Products of Industry. 

1. Underwood, Wm., & Co., . . Boston, . Canned Articles. 

2. Baker, Walter, & Co., . . Boston, . Chocolate and Cocoa. 

Group Y. 

Textile Industry and Clothing. 

1. Blackinton, S., & Sons, . . N. Adams, . Cassimeres. 

Exhibited by Pomeroy & Plummer, New York. 

2. Bigelow Carpet Co., . . . Clinton, . Carpets. 

Exhibited by W. & J. Sloane, New York. 

3. Brewer, Gardner, & Co., . . Boston, . Shirtings. 

4. Schayer Brothers, . . . Boston, . Boots and Shoes. 

(See Group VI.) 

5. Neil, Mrs. J. G., . . . Cambridge, . Feather Wreath. 

6. Lilly, Young, Pratt & Brackett, Lynn, . . Shoes. 

7. Walker, J. H. & G. M., . . Worcester, . Boots. 



1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



51 



Group YI. 

Leather and India-rubber Industry. 

1. Upton, Franklin & Co., . Boston, . . Sole Leather. 

2. Schayer Brothers, . . Boston, . . Alligator Hides. 



Group YII. 



1. American Tack Co., 

2. Barny, E. H., . . . 

3. Douglas Axe Manuf. Co., 

4. Dunbar, Hobart & Whidden, 

5. Field, A., & Sons, . 

6. Henshaw, Edward, 

7. Moulton, E. S., . • . 

8. Nichols, F. W., . 

9. Tower, Geo. W., . 
10. Sherman, W. B , . 



Metal Industry. 
. Boston, , 
. Springfield, 
Boston, . 
So. Abington, . 
Taunton, . 
Boston, . 
Chelsea, . 
Boston, . 
Cambridgeport, 
Boston, . 



Tacks and Brads. 

Skates. 

Axes. 

Tacks and Nails. 

Tacks and Nails. 

Shoe Findings. 

Pipe Tongs. 

Hinge. 

Pipe Tools and Dies. 

Spades and Shovels. 



1. Sturtevant, B. F., . 

2. Parks, A. S., . 



Group YIII. 

Wood Industry. 

. Boston, . 

. Winchendon, . 



Wood for Shoe-pegs. 
Water-pails. 



Group IX. 

Stone, Earthenware and Glass Industry. 

No Exhibits. 

Group X. 

Small Ware and Fancy Goods. 
No Exhibits. 

Group XI. 

Paper Industry and Stationery. 

No Exhibits. 



Group XII. 

Graphic Arts and Industrial Drawing. 
1. Prang, L., & Co., . . . Boston, . . Chromo-Lithographs. 



52 



VIENNA EXPOSITION. 



[Feb. 



Group XIII. 



General and Agricultueal Machinery. 



1. Ashcroft, E. H., 



2. 
3. 
4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17. 



Avery, J. G., . 
Bigelow, H. H., 
Dodge, Theo. A., 



Eames, Bigelow & Co., . 

Evans, A. D., . * . 

Excelsior Gas Machine Co., 

Hall, Thomas, . 

Knapp Dovetailing Mach. Co., Northampton 

Lamb Knitting Machine X!o 

Morse Twist Drill Co., . 

Racldin, J. G., . . . . Lynn, 

Stephens, . 

Townsend, H. E., . . . Boston, .. 
Whitney, Baxter D., . . Winch endon, 
Witherby, Rugg & Richardson, Worcester, 
Ferguson, — , .... Roxbury, . 



.• Boston, . . Steam-fittings. 

Afterwards exhibited in British Department. 

. Spencer, . . Wool-spinner. 

. Worcester, . Heel Machinery. 

. Cambridge, . McKay Shoe Mach'ry, 

Not examined by the Jury. 

Wheels. 

Covered Shuttles.* 

Gas Machines. 

Vise. 

Dovetailing Machine. 
Chicopee Falls, Knitting Machines. 
New Bedford, . Twist Drills. 

Carriage Wheels. 

Yise.f 

Shoe Machinery. 

Wood-work'g Mach'y. 

Wood-work'g Mach'y. 

Sheep-shearrgMach.f 



Framingham, 
Boston, . 
Warren, . 
Northampton, 



Group XIY. 

Philosophical Surgical Instruments. 

1. Lowe, N. M., .... Boston, . . Hygrodeik. 

■r^ -./> 1 /Hyperbolic Paraboloid 
. New Bedford, < , tt i i • 



2. Spare, John, . 



V and Hyperboloid. 



Group XY. 

Musical Instruments. 
1. Mason & Hamlin Organ Co., . Boston, . * 



. Organs. 



1. Smith & Wesson, 

2. U. S. Armory, . 

3. U. S. Cartridge Co. 



Group XYI. 

The Art of War. 

. Springfield, 
. Springfield, 
. Lowell, . 



. Revolvers. 
. Arms, &c. 
. (Metallic Cartridges. 



Group XYII. 

The Navy. 
No Exhibits. 



* In official catalogue, but not exhibited. f Not in catalogue, but exhibited. 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 53 



Group XVIII. 

CrvTL Engineering, Public Works and Architecture. 

{Models of plates and 
anchors for floor- 
timbers. 
2. Brackett, E. A., . . . Winchester, . Fishway. 

Group XIX. 

The Private Dwelling-house, its Inner Arrangement and 

Decoration. 

ISTo Exhibits. 

Grout XX. 

The Farm-house, its Arrangements, Furniture and Utensils. 
1. Appleton, F. H., . . . West Roxbury, . Plan of model farm. 

Group XXI. 

National Domestic Industry. 

No Exhibits. 

Grou-p xxn. 

Exhibition showing the Organization and Influence of Museums 

OF Fine Art as Applied to Industry. 

No Exhibits. 

Group XXIII. 

Art Applied to Religion. 

No Exhibits. 

Group XXIV. 

Objects of Fine Arts of the Past, Exhibited by Amateurs and 

Owners of Collections. 

No Exhibits. 

Group XXV. 

Fine Arts op the Present Time, Works Produced since the Second 
London Exhibition of 1862. 

1. Way, C. Granville, . . Boston, . . Landscape Painting. 



54 



VIENNA EXPOSITION. 



[Feb. 



LIST OF AWAEDS. 



Massachusetts Exhibition. 

Grand Diplomas of Honor. 

1. The State of Massachusetts, for valuable Reports and Documents, and 

for the enterprise shown by its organized personal representation 
at Vienna. 

2. The City of Boston, for its full and complete illustration of its School 

System and Schools. 



1. Avery, John G., 

2. Bigelow, Horace H., . 

3. Blackinton, S., & Son 



Medals for Progress. 

. . . Spencer, . . Continuous Wool-sp 

Worcester, . Heel Machinery. 

N. Adams, . Fancy Cassimeres. 

(Exhibited by Pomeroy & Plummor, N. Y.) 

Warren, . . Appar. for mak. gas 

Northampton, . Parallel Bench Vise 
Boston, 



4. Excelsior Gas Machine Co., 

5. Hall, Thomas, . 

6. Howe, Dr. G. S., 

7. Knapp Dovetairg Machine Co., Northampton, 

8. Lilly, Young, Pratt & Brackett, Lynn, 

9. Mason & Hamlin Organ Co., . Boston, 

10. Morse Twill Drill Co., . . New Bedford, 



11. Prang, L., & Co., 

12. Smith & Wesson, 

13. Sturtevant, B. J., 

14. W^hitney, Baxter D. 



Boston, 
Springfield, 
Boston, 
Winchendon, 



. Pub. for the Blind. 
. Dovetailing Mach. 
. Boots and Shoes. 
. Cabinet Organs. 
. Increase Twist Drills. 
. Chromo-Lithogr'phs, 
. Revolvers. 
. Wood for Shoe-pegs. 
. Wood-wVg Mach'y. 



Medals for Merit. 



1. United States Armory, 

2. Baker, Walter, & Co., 

3. Blackinton i& Co., 

4. Barny, E. H., . 

5. Brewer, Gardner, & Co., . 

6. Brewer & Tileston, . 

7. Hauthaway, C. L., & Sons, 

8. Lamb Knitting Machine Co., 

9. Maroon, Jules, . 

10. Mason, Luther Whiting, . 

11. Parks, A. S., . 

12. Ross, Joseph L., 



Springfield, 
Boston, 



. Arms & Ammunit'n. 
f Chocolate and Cocoa 
\ ]3reparations. 
North Adams, . Cassimeres. 

(Exhibited by Pomeroy and Plummer, N. Y.) 

Springfield, . Club Skates. 

Boston, . . rine"G.B."Shirfgs. 

Boston, . . School Publications. 

Boston, . . Leather Dressings. 

Chicopee Falls, Hand-knitting Mach. 
TGeognostic Map of 
\ the World. 
Syst'm of Instruction 
in Music. 

Winchendon, . Amer'n Water-pails 

Boston, . . School Furniture. 



Boston, 



Boston, 



{ 



1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



55 



13. Bigelow Carpet Co., . 



Clinton, . . Carpets. 

(Exhibited by W. & J. Sloaue, New York.) 



14. 


Stephens, — , . . . . 


• . . 


. Vises. 


15. 


Townsend, H. E,, 


Boston, 


. Shoe Machinery. 


16. 


Underwood, Wm., & Co., . 


Boston, 


r Canned Fruits, Fish, 
\ V'getab's& Meats. 








17. 


United States Cartridge Co., 


Lowell, . 


. Metallic Cartridges. 


18. 


United States Armory, 


Springfield, 


. Gun stocks. 


19. 


Walker, Q. H. & G. M., . 


Worcester, 


. Boots. 


20. 


Witherby, Rugg & Ricliardson 


Worcester, 


. Wood-W'king Mach. 



Medals for Co-operatoes. 
1. Felt, Luther W., with J. G. Avery, Spencer. 



Diplopias of Merit or Honorable Mention, 

T> , / Samples of Tacks &. 

Boston, . < -r. -, 

V Brads. [Nails. 

So. Abington, . Samples of Tacks & 

Roxbury, . . Sheep-shear'g Mach. 

Boston, 



1. American Tack Co., . 

2. Dunbar, Hobart & Whidden, 

3. Ferguson, — , . 



4. Henshaw, Edward, 

5. Lowell Institute, 



Boston, 



f Shoe Tools and Sam- 
\ pies of Pegs. 
C Disseminat'n & Pro- 
\ motion of Science. 



6. Newton, the town of. School Reports and Photographs of Buildings. 

7. Nichols, F. W., . . . . Boston, . . Wall Desk. 

8. Nye, W. F., . . . . New Bedford, ( Se^^ng-maclnne and 

•^ 'V Watch Oil. 

9. Shattuck, W. G., . . . Boston, . . Schl Desks & Seats. 

10. Worcester, city of. School Reports and Photographs of Buildings. 

11. N. B. Sherman, .... Boston, . . Shovels and Spades. 



Diplomas of Honor, 


. 2 


Medals of Progress, 


. 14 


Medals of Merit, 


. 20 


Diplomas of Merit, .... 


. 11 


Medal for Cooperators, . 


. 1 


Total Awards, . 


. 48 



56 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 



REPORT OF MR. HILL. 



The undersigned, appointed an Associate Commissioner on 
the part of tiie State of Massachusetts to the Exposition held 
at Vienna, is directed, by the terms of his commission, to 
report to the next legislature. In conformity with tjiis duty, 
he begs to submit the following : — 

Under the arrangement made between the writer and' his 
associates, the general organization and conduct of the Com- 
mission in Vienna was undertaken by the Chief Commissioner, 
and the undersigned was charged with the special duty of 
examining the details of the Exposition. This report will 
therefore be principally devoted to a description of this Ex- 
position, a consideration of its relation to the productive 
industries of the world, and the proper lessons that we should 
draw from it as citizens of Massachusetts. 

The writer, having received his commission on the 31st day 
of March last, took passage from Boston by steamer of the 
12th of April, and arrived in Vienna on the 11th of May, 
having made only a few days' delay in England, to examine 
some of the large manufacturing establishments of that coun- 
try. The troubles in the United States Commission had but 
a few days before come to a head, and everything connected 
with our portion of the Exposition was in a state of disor- 
ganization and confusion. 

Mr. Jackson S. Schultz, appointed by our government to suc- 
ceed our former Chief Commissioner, arrived, however, upon 
the 15th of May. The writer considered it his first duty to 
offer his services to Mr. Schultz, in case he could thus serve 
the interests of any Massachusetts citizens, or advance the 
badly delayed exhibition of the United States. Mr. Schultz, 
however, undertook his work with the help of a small num- 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 57 

ber of the assistant Uuited States Commissioners, whom he 
selected at Vienna, and, with his well-known vigor, advanced 
it mnch more rapidly than could have been expected. 

In this connection, the writer's knowledge of the facts 
makes it proper for him to speak of the services of Professor 
E. N. Horsford, of Cambridge, in this State, who, as a mem- 
ber of the scientific commission of the United States, was 
present in Vienna, and w^ho gave himself unsparingly to the 
assistance of the Chief Commissioner. Much of the progress 
which was made, both in the pi'cparation of the exhibits and 
in the organization of committees, juries, etc., was due to his 
efforts. Massachusetts exhibitors especially are indebted to 
him for attention to their interests. 

Before the arrival of the w^riter, Mr. Frank Millett, the 
secretary of the Massachusetts Commission, w^ho had been 
despatched by Mr. Adams to Vienna, had secured proper 
rooms for the use of the Commission. These rooms \vere at 
once taken possession of, and the Commission was organized 
and immediately entered upon the duties assigned to the 
different members. 

As has been said, it was a principal duty of the undersigned 
to study the details of the Exposition, and, therefore, with the 
exception of such attendance as was necessary at the office 
of the Commission, and a week devoted to the Patent Con- 
gress, of which mention will be made hereafter, his whole 
time at Vienna was spent on the grounds. 

Upon entering upon the study of the Exposition, the first 
points Avhich engaged attention were those relating to the 
general plan of the buildings and their inclosure. This 
matter seems to have received a great deal of thought on the 
part of the Austrian authorities, but it is doubtfal if they 
settled it in a way perfectly satisfactory to a majority of vis- 
itors ; and, in fact, it is not easy of solution in an Exposition 
so large as this. The French Exposition of 1867 was built 
in the form of an ellipse, in which the different nations occu- 
pied segments, whose separating lines radiated from a com- 
mon centre, while the different classes or groups of exhibits 
in the different nations were placed in the same ring or circle. 
Thus, in passing from the centre outward, the visitor was 
always among the products of the same nation, but went 
8 



58 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

from one class to another. In moving around the centre on 
any given circle, he was always in the same group or class, 
but went from one nation to another. Admirab'e as this 
plan was in theory, grave objections were found in practice. 
First, it was found impossible to adjust properly either the 
space devoted to each nation, or the relative space occupied 
by different groups in each nation. Moreover, the building, 
arranged in this form, could only be lighted from above, and 
by experience it has been found very difficult to make roofs 
so lighted water-proof, when only erected for temporary pur- 
poses. Lastly, to the mnjority of visitors, the arrangement 
described is extremely confusing, on account of the impossi- 
bility of keeping the points of the compass, and of finding 
desired places of exit, after circulating through the curves of 
the exhibition building. All these defects would have been 
greatlj^ exaggerated, had the plan of the Paris Exposition been 
repeated at Vienna, owing to the vastly greater size of the 
latter exhibition, which was nearly four times that of the 
former. 

The Austrian authorities decided to abandon the idea of 
the association of like groups in the different nations, except 
in certain special cases, — as fine arts, machinery, etc., which 
were placed in buildings by themselves, — and adopted the plan 
of comparatively narroAV buildings, lighted from the side, in 
which the only aim was to place the products of each nation 
by themselves. The main building, or industrial palace, 
consisted of a hall three thousand feet long and eighty-three 
feet wide ; and, to give additional space, this was crossed by 
seventeen transepts, averaging five hundred feet long by fifty- 
one feet wide. Parallel with this main building, there was 
erected a machinery hall, twenty-six hundred and fifty-one 
feet long, and one hundred and sixty-four feet wide. Be- 
yond these were erected another series of buildings for pict- 
ures, statuary and other works of art. This arrangement 
of comparatively narrow buildings, while it gave an opportu- 
nity of lighting from the sides by windows under the roof, 
added very largely to the cost, on account of the great extent 
of wall in proportion to the space inclosed. It also rendered 
the work of one who wished to trace any particular branch 
of production through diJerent nations very difficult, by 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 59 

reason of the distances which separated them. This difficulty 
was again aggravated by the fact that the original buildings 
proving much too small, between nearly all the transepts 
covered courts were built, and, in addition to this, other 
large buildings were erected by several governments, in which 
a portion of their groups or classes of exhibits were dis- 
played. It thus became a serious work, even for those most 
familiar with the Exposition, and to all others a hopeless task, 
to trace a single class of productions through the spaces of 
the different nationalities. 

Another great objection to the arrangement of buildings 
adopted was the utter absence of that impressiveness, which 
arises from general -effects. Had the buildings been so 
designed as to inclose the great mass of exhibits under one 
roof, and bring them all in sight at one time, the Exhibition 
would have been wonderfully more grand and interesting than 
it was. As arranged, it was only to those who spent a long 
period in daily examination of the various transepts, courts, 
rooms, buildings, "annexes," special exhibits, etc., that its 
vastness became apparent. The majority of visitors, who 
came for a few days and went away again, never saw one-half 
of the various places of exhibition, and got so confused an 
idea of what they did visit that it was impossible for them to 
associate the special'rooms, halls, etc., with the nations which 
occupied them, or to understand the relations of their con- 
tents to those of other neighboring apartments. 

If it could be decided, before the erection of the main 
edifice, what space in the whole, and Avhat in each group or 
class of objects each nation would require, the construction of 
proper buildings would be much simplified. But this has been 
found impossible, and in all the later exhibitions the demand 
by most of the leading nationalities has, at the last moment, 
been found greater than the space allotted, and they have been 
forced to place a considerable portion of their articles of ex- 
hibition in specially erected buildings, entirely separated from 
their proper association with objects of the same kind, and 
from others from the same country. Thus, at Vienna, the 
American exhibit of agricultural implements — the finest, in 
some respects, in the exhibition-ground — was placed in a 
building, erected for the purpose, behind the general agricult- 



60 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

ural buildings of the western European nations. In an ob- 
scure place, of special interest to only a fraction of the visit- 
ors, it Avas entirely unseen by the great nciass, to whom it 
would have been a revelation of our mechanical skill and taste, 
had their attention been drawn to it by finding its exhibits 
before them while examining the other departments in one 
common building. The same thing is true of the German 
school system, of considerable portions of the Swiss exhibi- 
tion, of the French, of part of the Russian, etc. 

The most important points in designing a building for the 
purpose of an exhibition would seem to be, — 

Firsts the study of some water-tight arrangement for light- 
ing from above, by what are called monitor roofs, or other- 
wise, which would enable the architect to cover in as large a 
space, both in length and breadth, as he should see fit, in one 
open area, uninterrupted with corners or angles to break the 
view. 

Second^ an arrangement of exhibits by which the different 
nations should have all their goods together, so that what each 
had contributed to the Exposition could be at once seen, and 
an idea easily gained of the character and quality of its pro- 
ductions in each group. • 

Thirds the arrangement should be such that the exhibits in 
the different groups, if not directly contiguous to those of the 
same groups belonging to the next nation, should at least be 
disposed in the space of each nation according to some simple 
and easily understood rule, so that the position of any particu- 
lar class could be found among their exhibits. 

Finally, it would be a great advantage if, while the roof 
and its supports were erected in good season, the buildmgs 
were so constructed that the size could be readily extended in 
certain directions, so as to be prepared for an unexpected 
amount of goods from any nation without forcing that nation 
to break up the proper order and classification of its exhibits 
by putting a part of them in separate buildings. 

In drawing attention to these points, it is to be remembered 
that, while an exhibition like this is of much interest and value 
to specialists, men of science, manufacturers and merchants, 
its great usefulness lies in its character of an instructor of 
the masses. 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 61 

The great majority of visitors are only temporary, and 
therefore to render an exposition of its greatest value to such 
people it must be so arranged as to enable them to make 
comparisons easily and clearly. 

Undoubtedly, the Vienna Exposition was, above all things, 
intended as a means of education to the Austrians ; but, it is 
safe to say, that of all the Austrians who visited it, not one 
in a hundred went away with auy clear idea of its vastness 
as a whole, or of the relative richness of the different coun- 
tries, in the twenty-six or more classes into which it was 
divided. 

In resrard to the buildino-s themselves and the material of 

o o 

which they were composed, owing to the nature of the soil in 
the Prater where the exhibition was held, the principal erec- 
tions were all placed on piles. The walls were of brick, ap- 
parently very heavy and covered with cement. The roof was a 
semi-circular arch. The main entrances were built with much 
regard to architectural effect, and adorned above with emblem- 
atic figures. The most striking portion of the buildings was 
the huoje dome which stood in the centre of the leno^th of the 
great industrial palace. This was designed by Mr. Scott 
Russell, and was a really ' extraordinary undertaking. It 
stood on a circle of large piers. From the summit of these, 
angle-iron beams ran up towards the centre, where they all 
rested against an iron ring which received their thrust. The 
ceiling of the dome was attached to the underside of these 
beams. Its base was eighty feet above the ground and three 
hundred and forty-eight feet across ; above, it opened through 
the ring into a cylindrical lantern, one hundred feet in diame- 
ter and thirty feet high, and from that into a smaller lantern. 
The whole height was not less than two hundred and seventy- 
five feet. 

The portion of the park devoted to the Exposition included 
about three hundred and fifty acres. On these were, first, the 
industrial palace, of which we have spoken, running east and 
west, having its seventeen transepts across it, and its great 
dome in the midst. Parallel to this on the north, and distant 
from it about ^ve hundred feet, was the machinery-hall. 
Between these two, near either end, were large wooden build- 
ings, each covering somewhat more space than the great Coli- 



62 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

seum, so called, lately erected in Boston, which were devoted 
to agricultural exhibits. In a line with these, and between the 
industrial and machinery-halls, were numerous other buildings, 
— some erected by the various countries to display their surplus 
exhibits, some the special buildings of private exhibitors. 

Beyond the end of the industrial palace were the art 
buildings, also of brick and stucco, handsomely decorated 
with architectural ornaments, and surrounded with arcades. 
In the fifty-two rooms of these buildings were displayed some 
thirty-two hundred paintings and one thousand statues. 

Still beyond these, an arched gateway led to a portion of 
the grounds in which were many buildings of a temporary 
nature, some illustrating the various types of peasant houses 
of Eastern Europe, others built as models of stables, barns, 
etc., etc. South of the great industrial palace, before its 
front, were many other erections, such as the Persian and the 
Egyptian palaces ; the Japanese village, of which the very 
wood was brought from Japan ; iron buildings ; others of 
artificial stone ; others set up by the lighthouse board, the 
navy department, and other branches of the Austrian admin- 
istration. With these were characteristic buildings of almost 
every nationality, erected as restaurants. Here also w^as the 
palace of the Emperor of Austria, and, opposite to it, the 
juries' pavilion. Altogether, there were more than two hun- 
dred buildings within the inclosure of the Exposition grounds. 
These grounds themselves were laid out in squares of the 
finest turf, intersected with gravel walks, bordered with beds 
of flowers, and dotted with ponds, in which were fountains. 
The whole was arranged with that taste which seems natural 
to the Austrians. 

This description gives but a feeble idea of the grounds and 
buildings of the Yienna Exposition, upon which the ilustrian 
government expended more than ten millions of dollars, and 
which was intended to be by far the most complete of any 
that has been held. 

Turning from the buildings to the articles in them, the first 
thing to be noted is this : that, contrary to the general im- 
pression in America, the contributions of the different nations 
were not mere irregular collections of incidental objects, fur- 
nished by parties who desired to advertise themselves, but, 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 63 

on the other hand, were well assorted, and generally complete 
illustrations of the industries of the several countries, with 
one unfortunate exception. We believe this is true of all the 
principal nations. The spirit which seems to have animated 
them is well illustrated in the address of the French commis- 
sioners to the public at the time of their appointment. After 
speaking of the material advantages to be gained from this 
Exposition, they continue : — 

" Be3^ond these material advantages, on which it is useless to 
dilate, so obvious are the^^, there is alwa3's in France a sentiment to 
which appeal has never been made in vain — that of patriotism. 
France must be worthil}^ represented at the universal Exposition in 
Vienna. She must present herself there in a manner to prove that 
she has not fallen from the high rank which belongs to her in the 
civilized world, and that on the morrow even of the dolorous events 
w^hicli have lately transpired, she is ready to sustain the reputation 
she has acquired in the arts — in productions where intelligence and 
modern science, taste, invention or skilled hand-labor have gained 
a superiority never contested." 

In this spirit, the French entered into the l!xposition, and 
government and people joined in making it in fact all that 
this address indicated. 

It is but fjiir to add, that the spirit of the other leading 
nations was not behind that of the French, and that they 
made a good and general display of their various industries, 
regardless of the consideration that they might not gain for 
them an immediate sale. From this it resulted the Exposition 
was in reality a universal exposition of the world's industries, 
and that the visitor could there study the present status of 
any matter in which he was interested, — in every part of the 
Old World, at least. 

The arranofemeuts of the exhibits of the different nations 
in the Exposition was simply geographical. Those of the 
New World beins^ at the extreme western end of the various 
buildings, the Japanese and Chinese at the eastern, the other 
countries between, according to their geographical positions. 
The machinery was, as has been said, in a building by itself, 
but the exhibits of the different countries were there arranged 
in the same order. The agricultural machinery and produc- 



64 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

tions were divided between the two buildings appropriated 
to them, that between the westerly ends of the main and ma- 
chinery halls to the western European nations, the other to 
the more easterly. Many countries — as Brazil, the United 
States, China, Japan, etc., — displayed what they had of agri- 
cultural productions in the great industrial palace, with their 
other exhibits. The purely art-exhibitions, including paint- 
ings, statuary, engravings, etc., were also gathered into their 
own group of buildings, in whose fifty-two rooms those of 
each nation were, as far as possible, arranged by themselves. 
The relative space occupied by the different countries will 
be found in the Appendix. The number of contributors 
from each country, as represented in the second edition of 
the official catalogue, will also be found therewith, and will 
be some indication of the relative display of the different 
countries. It is to be remembered that the space occupied 
is not always an indication of the amount of exhibits, as in 
some countries they were vastly more crowded than in 
others ; and in some, as the United States, any number of 
duplicates were admitted, while in others, exhibitors were 
confined to such as would properly illustrate their manufact- 
ures. The number of exhibitors, again, has little to do with 
the number or quantity of the articles exhibited, very much 
larger and more varied collections being sent by some indi- 
viduals than by others. Again, in some countries, as the 
United States, the exhibitors were all individuals, while from 
others it was often the custom for a large number of persons 
to make what is called a "collective exhibition." Thus, some 
of the French silk manufacturers united in exhibition of tlieir 
products, covering nearly half as much space as all the United 
States. Also, many cities, many governmental departments, 
many colleges, museums, schools of agriculture, etc., sent 
magnificent collections. Many even fitted up large buildings 
at their own expense, which yet count only for a single exhib- 
iter. Special attention should be given to this mode of 
exhibition, which secures many advantages at the minimum of 
expense. The system is calculated to induce a better and 
more complete collection of the class of productions in ques- 
tion. It enables the parties concerned to avail themselves of 
the best talent in the arrangement. The importance and size 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 65 

of the collective exhibition gives opportunity for display, and 
draws the attention of the public to it in a way that the indi- 
vidual exhibitors could not separately. Should our citizens 
take, as it is to be hoped they will, a prominent part in the 
United States Centennial Exposition, this plan is worth con- 
sideration by our various classes of manufacturers. 

Upon the organization of the Commission, one of the first 
points which demanded the attention of its members was the 
manner in which they could best fulfil their duty in respect to 
the examination of the Exhibition, and their report upon the 
same. A very slight acquaintance with the Exposition made it 
suflaciently evident that it would be wholly useless to attempt, 
personally, a detailed examination of the different groups of 
the Austrian classification. How utterly impossible the enor- 
mous size of the Exposition rendered this undertaking, is 
shown by the work of the juries. Most of the important 
groups were subdivided among various sub-juries, so that 
in fact there were eighty-one actual parties who entered upon 
the jury-work. These juries threw themselves into their 
labors with the utmost energy, yet many of them were more 
than two months in the examination of their special groups. 
Another consideration with the Commission was this : that a 
valuable examination could only be made in the different 
groups by persons who were specialists, as it were, and who 
entered upon the work with a previous knowledge of the art. 
For these reasons they determined, as has been stated in the 
report of the*Chief of this Commission, to employ so far as 
they could find them at hand, and as far as the appropriations 
of the State would permit, persons in the work who would 
answer to the description of specialists in the various depart- 
ments. In addition to the reports thus engaged, the under- 
signed will only call attention to some general considerations 
which the study of the Exposition suggested, and which 
seem to him worthy of notice. And first, of the compara- 
tive condition of the arts in the United States and in other 
countries. On this point, it may be said that in all practical 
matters, — in machinery, in agricultural tools, perhaps in the 
preparation of articles of food, — in the groups from Y. to 
XVIIL, so far as matter is concerned, and not the style or 
9 



66 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

taste, including textiles, leather and rubber, metal and wood 
industry, — in manufacture of paper, sugar, and the thousand 
other useful matters; in our philosophical and surgical, and 
in musical instruments, — we appeared, or should have shown 
ourselves, if we had been adequately represented in this Ex- 
position, quite on a par with any other people. In machinery 
of every kind, it w^as universally conceded that our collection, 
small as it was, and lacking in every direction those labor-sav- 
ing inventions so familiar to us at home, but unknown abroad, 
was still the most original and admirable display in the 
machinery-hall. Among other modes of improving the 
opportunities of the Exposition of Paris in 1867, the British 
government sent, as they did also to Vienna, a commission 
of practical artisans, whose reports, afterwards printed, were 
among the most interesting and valuable of the former 
exhibition. As a result of their examination of American 
machinery, one of them made the following statement : — 

" In our country we seldom go hack to first principles in invention. 
We cling to some parts of the old arrangements. If a motion has 
been circular, we try to make a better circular motion ; if horizontal, 
we try to get better results by a superior horizontal arrangement, 
but seldom think of throwing to one side all that has been done. 
The American, on the other hand, seems to look at two things — the 
means at his command and the end to be attained ; he seldom 
troubles his head with the laws or the opinions of others." 

Another of the same artisan commission writes, speaking 
of the Americans : — 

" The rough-and-ready way in which they cast aside old theories, 
the boldness with which they start out on a new and untrodden path, 
the entire confidence they have in themselves, and their sagacity in 
finding out what is to be done and doing it — all find expression in 
their work. * * * Many a good thing rough-hewn by them is 
destined to live, and influence the future of the world." 

These statements are quoted because they are very admirable 
illustrations of the character of our inventive talent, and because 
they express very forcibly what was constantly said both by 



1874.] HOUSE-^No. 100. 67 

English and by Germans and Austrians, respecting our mechan- 
ical exhibitions at Vienna. In respect to our display of agri- 
cultural implements, it was very strong in mowers and reap- 
ers, and very weak in other directions. But in both these 
important machines Americans had every reason to be satisfied. 
The contrast between them and those of other countries was 
very marked. The lightness and strength, the convenience 
in operating, the superior workmanship, were all. acknowl- 
edged, and have resulted, as we are informed, in giving to the 
American manufacturers nearly all the ^business of supplying 
the agricultural regions of Eastern Europe. 

The qualities which give these implements their superiority 
have given the American- made sewing-machines the same, and 
they are sold in Europe at much higher prices than the same 
styles of European manufacture. It is said that even where 
American companies have carried to Europe American machin- 
ery and an American foreman to oversee the work, that they 
are unable to produce the same quality of machines as are made 
in America. This can only be due to the superior character 
of our workmen, a superiority arising from their higher intelli- 
gence, and this again from their better education. In the opin- 
ion of the writer, the superior character of these machines to 
those of European manufacture is borne out by that of many 
other classes, which were not displayed in the Exposition. In 
many departments it is not unreasonable to believe we should 
have a good foreign market were our machines better known. 

In the great departments of Group I., mining, quarrying and 
metallurgy, and Group II., agriculture and forestry, it was made 
evident to us that the leading nations of Europe have given far 
more attention to the matter of scientific education than we have 
done, and the exhibition of the various schools of mines, of 
agriculture, etc., were among the most striking and interest- 
ing portions of the Exposition. The pursuit of agriculture is 
to us in Massachusetts of course of more general practical 
interest than that of mining, and more attention was given to 
the, subject, and as a result of our observations our confidence 
in the advantao^es of a scientific education as a foundation for 
its successful pursuit was greatly strengthened. A special 
report on this subject has been prepared, and is particularly 



68 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

recommended to the attention of our citizens. In the depart- 
ment of forestry, most striking exhibitions were made, — the 
leading schools, forestry associations and departments, in a 
number of instances erecting large houses in the rough style 
of the forest buildings to illustrate this work. These were 
filled with specimens of the native woods, worked and 
unworked, of the various articles produced from the wood 
in the forests or in their neighborhood, samples of machinery 
and tools used, and especially with maps, plans, models of 
dams, slides, rope-tramways, and all the means of illustrat- 
ing their modes of carrying on their work. With these 
were numerous books on the subject and many volumes of 
written reports, showing the details of the management. 
From the great attention given by the Austrians and other 
older nations to this branch of industry, we should do well 
to draw a lesson. It is believed that if the State would 
constitute either a special commission, or a branch of the 
board of agriculture, that should give particular attention to 
the subject of forestry, should examine the foreign modes of 
encouraging arboriculture and making it pecuniarily product- 
ive, and should aim at giving popular information and awak- 
ening popular interest on the subject, it would be vastly to 
the interest and advantage of the Commonwealth. 

But if in those industries which tend to the physical comfort 
and convenience of mankind the United States stood as high 
as, and in many respects higher than, other countries, in the 
Exposition, it was far otherwise in the sphere of art, both in 
its purer conditions of painting and sculpture and in its appli- 
cation to manufactures. In the preparation for the Exposi- 
tion in this country, those gentlemen who originally had the 
charge of our interests did not, with one or two exceptions, 
apparently command the confidence of our artists nor of our 
manufacturers who depend on their art or taste to give value 
to their works , sufficiently to persuade them to send their pro- 
ductions to Vienna. Moreover, a single walk through the art- 
galleries and down the great nave of the industrial palace, in 
which the exhibits of the applied arts were generally assem- 
bled, would have satisfied the most doubting that if' we had 
done the best we could we should have still made a most de- 
plorable failure in this side of the Exposition. 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 69 

In the arrangement of the exhibits, this department was made 
the most prominent of the whole. Passing by the art-galleries, 
and speaking only of the arts in their applications to indus- 
try, the whole of the great central nave of the main build- 
ing was substantially devoted to this form of art. With the 
English, the most magnificent displays were made of porcelain, 
pottery and glass ; and the cases of the Mintons, Copeland, 
the Worcester works and Wedgwood were splendid illustra- 
tions of the value that this nation sets upon this work. Nor 
were the French behind them. The porcelain of E. Colinot, 
Deck and Jules Harvey, of Cristofle, Barbadienne and others ; 
sustained their ancient reputation. It is said that the Eng- 
lish in earlier Expositions were much astonished and morti- 
fied at the inferior position in which they appeared in com- 
parison with the French, and set themselves to work in ear- 
nest to introduce a better and higher art into this class of 
work. We do not think we are wrong in saying that to-day 
they show in this department a more varied collection of 
beautiful forms, a more original taste, and a better application 
of the models of antiquity, and of the ideas of such nations 
as the Indian and the Japanese and others, than do the 
French. 

In artistic metal-work there were some admirable displays, — 
as those of Elkington and Hancock, in the English depart- 
ment, of Barbadienne and Cristofle among the French. Of the 
work of the latter too much cannot be said. Much of the 
painting and sculpture of the French, though powerful and 
artistic, is morbid in its character, rioting in the horrible or the 
sensual ; but in this metal-work of Cristofle's, the art was 
of the purest and simplest character, taking its subjects from 
the most common objects of nature, and working them into 
the ornamentation of the material with a simple grace as 
healthy in tone as it was artistic in character. Both English 
and French work in this department, and measurably also in 
that of pottery and porcelain , showed very distinctly the influ- 
ence of Japanese art, the merits of which they incline to 
adopt without taking its absurdities . 

In furniture, the English had some very artistic work. 
Their manufacturers employ some of the best artists to pre- 



70 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

pare designs for them. The simplicity and beauty of these 
are very far removed from the heavy styles, overloaded 
with machine-made ornaments, which we too generally find 
with us. In furniture, the Austrians were however perhaps 
of all exhibitors the strongest. Their forms were for the 
most part very simple, and their great effort seemed to be to 
bring out as strongly as possible the natural beauties of the 
wood. Where ornament was introduced, it was in the form 
of inlaying, or of hand-carving. The artistic feeling of Eu- 
rope seems to have recognized the fact, that those objects 
alone are really beautiful which have been produced by hand- 
labor, and by the individual thought and taste of the artist 
applied to each individual ornament. 

A very attractive department in the Austrian section, and 
one to which they devoted much attention, was that of 
interior decoration. Many small rooms were fitted up by 
different artists, and, without exception, the combinations of 
colors and effects were those of refined and cultivated tastes. 

One of the most interesting collections, in which artistic 
feeling had scope to display itself, was that of the carpets, 
of which there were literally hundreds in the Exposition. 
Undoubtedly the East, with her hand-made work, carried 
the day here, and of the Eastern nations the Persians were 
perhaps the most perfect. Equal to any in richness of 
effect, they surpassed in the perfect harmony of color. It 
is needless to say that the good feeling of all these Eastern 
nations leads them to avoid those glaring contrasts of color 
and staring patterns which are too common in our win- 
dows ; and it was noticeable also that all their figures had 
a perfectly flat effect. The apparent projection of flowers, 
fruit and geometrical figures, looking as if in danger of 
tripping the foot at each step, is most carefully avoided. 
The English, and in a measure the French, showed the effects 
of a study of these Eastern productions, and the best work of 
the English certainly was in styles borrowed from them. 

The Austrians were still closer students of these Eastern 
nations, and much of their display could hardly be distin- 
guished from its original. 

Of cast-metal artistic work there was an immense quantity 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 71 

in the Exposition, not only in bronze, but in iron. Special 
attention is called to this latter material, because its manage- 
ment has become so well understood in its application to 
this purpose, that it produces as clear and fine-surfaced cast- 
ings as bronze, and in this way good works of art can be 
cheaply supplied. 

The rooms of the fine-art buildings, many as they were, 
were always filled with crowds of people. The number of 
visitors here was the best evidence of the general interest 
taken in Europe in the arts. The report which we have 
caused to be prepared, to present with this, will say all that 
is necessary on this point. 

These few lines have been devoted to a description of the 
art-manufactures exhibited at Vienna, not for the purpose of 
attempting to give any idea of their artistic merit, nor of 
their extent, but only to show how great a degree of atten- 
tion is now given abroad to this form of industry. 

Both governments and people there are exerting themselves 
to extend and improve the popular taste for art, and to elevate 
the artistic character of their national productions. To this end 
they are encouraging their museums and schools of art, and 
the general introduction of drawing in their public schools. 
The influence of the Kensington Museum upon the taste and 
the artistic character of the English manufacturers cannot be 
overstated, and the wonderful advance they have made be- 
tween the Paris Exposition and that of the present year, is 
largely due to its teachings. Among other modes of instruc- 
tion, it makes appropriate collections of works of art, and 
sends them out into the different manufacturing districts, 
there to remain for several months, open to the free inspec- 
tion of all who wish to study them. On the Continent, also, 
those interested speak in the highest terms of the influence of 
their museums and art-schools in improving the general taste. 
One of the most noticeable things about the art-manufactures 
in the Exposition, was the number of beautiful and charac- 
teristic objects which were bought for these different European 
museums. 

This is not the place to discuss the propriety of encour- 
aging art in comparison with merely mechanical labor, nor to 



72 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

consider how far, as a' nation becomes richer-, it is necessary 
to elevate the tastes, and to furnish new and high interests to 
the people, if we would prevent them from degenerating into 
luxury and dissipation. Our State has taken its position in 
this matter, by introducing drawing into the public schools, 
and by the encouragement of artistic study in the schools of 
technology ; and it only remains to j)ush on the work as vig- 
orously as possible. The encouragement of museums is cer- 
tainly one of the most direct and effective means of so doing, 
and, great as is their influence in Europe, they would be 
much more powerful here. Indeed, something of the kind is 
essential to our art-education. Students and the public in 
Europe have the great advantage over us of living in coun- 
tries where they are continually in presence of art-work. 
With us, who have not this inspiration, there remains only 
the influence of museums, as a means of cultivating an artis- 
tic taste in the community. The writer believes that with us 
the natural taste is better than in most European countries, 
and that, with proper effort, our people can be educated to 
take high rank as artistic producers ; and it is not impossible 
that when we do acquire an artistic skill, our work will be 
found to be more original and more beautiful than that of 
many people now far in advance of us in this department. 

Some consideration was given by the writer at Vienna to 
the question of the value of Expositions — which may be con- 
sidered as a species of temporary museum — as a means of 
developing industry, both of a practical and an artistic char- 
acter. In the United States, particularly, there has been a 
tendency to think lightly of them. It is believed that this is 
a mistaken view. In respect to the international exhibitions, 
held in foreign countries lately, it has been felt that, as an 
immediate means of advertising our productions, they were 
of no use to us, on account of the higher range of prices 
prevailing in the United States. In this there is less differ- 
ence than is commonly supposed ; and there is an advantage 
in many classes of our productions — in point of convenience, 
adaptability, or amount of work they will perform, or that 
they will endure — which would more than outweigh this dif- 
ference, were their quality and character better understood 
abroad. 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 73 

Again, there is in some quarters an' idea that we are so 
superior to other nations that we have nothing to learn from 
them. It is perhaps true, in regard to certain industries, 
that we could teach more than we could earn ; but in enter- 
taining this opinion, there is great chance that others, who 
are taking every advantage for educating themselves, may be 
passing us in the contest. In other industries — pertaining to 
matters of art especially — our citizens, admitting our inferi- 
ority, have undervalued the artistic side of expositions, and 
the value of art generally. Leaving the moral and social con- 
siderations out of view, we believe there cannot be a greater 
mistake, in view of material prosperity. The State, like the 
individual, which can add to its practical skill good taste and 
artistic ornament, has added another element to its means of 
progress in wealth and influence. 

So far, then, from joining in the general feeling in regard 
to foreign expositions, the writer believes that they can be 
made of very great value to us. Had our manufacturers 
more generally sent their productions to Vienna, it cannot be 
doubted that they would have been repaid, both pecuniarily 
and as a matter of education. While there is too much 
disposition with us to rest in the belief that we cannot 
reach foreign markets, the English, French, and above all, 
the Germans, are using every efi'ort to learn the tastes and 
wants of other nations, and to adapt themselves to them, and 
are seeking every means to show what they can furnish. 

We, in Massachusetts, cannot now afford to let pass any 
opportunity for educating our producers, nor for opening new 
markets. 

The last census reports show that we are hardly holding 
our own with the rest of the United States in the increase of 
our manufacturing interests, and that some of them are in 
fact advancing much more rapidly than we. 

In former times, the rocky nature of our soil and our 
climatic conditions forced us into manufacturing industries, 
in which we acquired a skill and reputation which made it 
difficult for other parts of the country to compete with us ; 
but with the increase of wealth in other sections, the requisite 
skill is there being gained for competition with. us, and we 

10 



74 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

can only hold our own by a careful encouragement of every 
means of keeping us up with the latest improvements, of in- 
troducing among us new departments of manufacture, espe- 
cially in the direction of matters of taste and art, and finally 
of opening to us every possible avenue for the disposal of our 
manufactures, and teaching us how to adapt our wares to 
these new markets. We think the State has shown its dis- 
position to do this in the encouragement of scientific schools, 
whence well-trained and liberally educated men will carry a 
new influence into our manufacturies, and in the introduction 
of drawing into our schools in a manner which will develop in 
the next generation new and artistic forms of productions. 
But we believe that these means may be more powerfully sup- 
plemented would the Commonwealth lend its influence to the 
encouragement of properly conducted expositions among our- 
selves in other departments, as it does in agriculture. By a 
full comparison of our productions through the intercourse 
which would thus be produced among our manufacturers, by a 
well-directed efibrt to bring in the work of others in other parts 
of the United States and from abroad, and finally by getting 
together and setting open to the body of the people all these 
works of art, both pure and applied to industry, which are 
either not known or not appreciated by our citizens at large, 
we believe a stimulus could be given to industry more im- 
mediate and more powerful than in any other way. By mak- 
ing such an exposition a bonded warehouse, our importers 
and their foreign correspondents would willingly place in 
them many illustrations of European production, which could 
be afterwards sold or returned. 

Passing this point, attention is also called to the Centennial 
Exposition of 1876. The declaration was general, especially 
with the Germans, that they should attend it, and if prop- 
erly conducted it cannot but be a success. Besides the Euro- 
peans who will visit it, it will collect large numbers of people 
from South America and the West Indies, and many from 
Japan and the East. The Japanese have already signified 
their intention of making a full and imposing display of their 
productions. 

In view of these facts, the policy cannot be too strongly 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 75 

lu'ged, of making an early effort for a full exhibition by the 
State of Massachusetts at this exposition. 

Among the branches which were most thoroughly developed 
at Vienna was that of education. It was made a matter of 
great prominence by the directors of the Exposition, and 
the means of illustration, in buildings, material for instruc- 
tion, publications, etc., were numerous. This portion of the 
exhibition and our place in it is passed over here, as the 
Special Commissioner, Mr. Philbrick, has, no doubt, fully 
developed it. 

Among other objects of the Exposition, an endeavor was 
made by its promoters to take advantage of the number of 
strangers whom they expected it to bring together to hold 
a series of congresses upon important international matters. 
Of these, that upon patents was perhaps the most important 
to our interests. The patent laws are at present in a very 
unsatisfactory condition on the Continent. Either it is almost 
impossible to procure a j)atent, or with states which grant 
them, the construction of the courts are such that they are 
practically valueless. The industrial activity of the United 
States, however, and the apparent influence of our patent sys- 
tem on invention, are beginning to have their effect ; and there 
is a large portion of the more liberal party which desire to 
introduce the advantages of a good patent system. In 
England, also, there is a strong disposition to alter their pat- 
ent laws, so as to make them more like ours. It was believed 
that if those of this way of thinking could organize and 
unite upon a strong declaration in favor of patents as pro- 
moters of industry, and could prepare a simple statement 
of the principles upon which a good patent law should rest, 
such action would be the first, and a very large, step towards 
the desired alteration of their patent laws. 

At the request of the Director-general of the Exposition, 
Baron Sch warts Sanborn, who took a most lively interest in 
this congress, the undersigned believing that he should sub- 
serve the interest of the State in so doing, became a member 
of the preparatory committee, and afterwards at the nomina- 
tion of the same gentleman, was elected vice-president of the 
congress on the part of the United States. This body car- 



76 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. '74. 

ried out its work in the most satisfactory manner, and at its 
adjournment instituted a permanent committee to carry on the 
agitation of the matter, with authority to call another meeting 
when it should seem advantageous. It is reported that this 
congress is already producing fruit, and that both Switzerland 
and Belgium, at present without a patent law, are very seriously 
debating the necessity of establishing one, while the eifect of 
its action is also felt in other states. If this congress should 
result, as there is ground to hope it will, in the establishment 
of a good and well administered patent law on the Continent, 
it will be a matter of vast advantage to our inventors and 
manufacturers. 

HAMILTON A. HILL, 

Asaodate-Commissioner for Massachusetts to Exposition at Vienna. 



Y-^ 



TABLES 



OF 



REPORTS, EXHIBITS, Etc, 



REFERRED TO. 



78 



EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. 



[Feb. 



List of Special Reports prepared for the Massachusetts Commission. 

Arts. — Technical Schools. 
Painting. 
Sculpture. 
Ceraniic Arts. 
Photography. 
Interior Decoration. 

Science. — Architecture and Building. 
Waste Materials. 
Dentistry and Dental Instruments. 

Mechanics. — Prime Movers. 

Iron and Wood Working Machinery. 

American Inventions, as seen in other portions ol 

the Exposition. 
Railroad Telegraphy. 

Agriculture. — As shown in Exposition. 
Austrian modes of. 
Forestry in the Exposition. 

Articles of Food, &c. — Effects of free consumption of wine and beer on 

the mass of Austrian people. 



Number of Exhibitors from the different nations referred to in 

Mr. HilVs report. 



United States, 


914 


Russia, . . 


. 1,197 


Venezuela, . 


294 


Caucasus, 


. 281 


Great Britain and Colonies, 


1,741 


Greece, . 


. 293 


Portugal, . . 


433 


Turkey, . 


. 5,843 


Spain, 


2,181 


Roumania, 


. 1,470 


France, .... 


3,691 


Egypt (by Governn 


lent) . 


Switzerland, . 


1,074 


Tunis, " 


objects, 641 


Italy, .... 


3,735 


Morocco, " 




Morocco, ... 


13 


Persia, •' 




Sweden, 


944 


Siam, " 




Norway, 


152 


China, " 




Denmark, 


475 


Jaj^an, " 


objects, 4,000 


Belgium, 


. 550 


Guatemala, . . . 


16 


Netherlands, . 


355 


Chili, . 


- 


Germany, 


5,789 


Brazil, . 


. 222 


Austria, .... 


7,382 


Uruguay, 


61 


Hungary, 


. 3,478 







1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



79 



Space in Square Metres allotted to each Country in the Industrial^ 
Machinery and Agricultural Halls} 



I 



COUNTRIES. 


Industrial 


Covered 


Machinery 


Agricultural 




Hall. 


Courts. 


Hall. 


Hall. 


Austria, 


14,767 


15,000 


11,000 


13,000 


Germany, 








6,714 


2,000 


10,000 


8,000 


France, 








6,308 


■ 3,500 


5,580 


2,500 


England, 








6,869 


2,500 


5,305 


7,000 


Russia, 








3,319 


800 


1,250 


600 


Hungary, 








2,972 


1,000 


350 


7,500 


Italy, 








2,972 


- 


950 


950 


Turkey, 








2,938 


- 


- 


- 


Belgium, 








2,613 


700 


3,000 


356 


China, Siam and Japan, 






1,650 


800 


— 


- 


United States, . 






1,358 


1,500 


1,250 


1,1502 


Switzerland, 






1,125 


900 


3,049 


475 


South America, 






1,090 


— 


— 


— 


Egypt and Central Africa 


1 




1,003 


— 


— 


— 


Holland, . 






. 880 


500 


240 


275 


Greece, 






867 


— 


— 


— 


Sweden and Norway, 






865 


— 


280 


260 


Roumania, 






637 


— 


— 


— 


Spain, 






605 


- 


- 


640 


Portugal, . 






519 


- 


— 


350 


Persia and Middle Asia, 






346 


— 


— 


— . 


Tunis, 






-259 


— 


— 


_ 


Morocco, . . , 






86 


— 


— 


— 


Denmark, 






— 


800 


300 


170 



1 These measures must be taken as approximate merely. It was impossible to get reliable 
statements from authoritative sources. In the above table, no note is taken of separate build- 
ings erected by various governments and individuals, except in the case of the agricultural 
hall of the United States, 2 Separate building. 



KEP O KT 



ON 



Textile Fabrics, Ra^w Materials, 
and Macliinery, 



bt hoeatio g. knight 



11 



\ 



REPORT. 



His Excellency the governor, in his address to the two 
branches of the legislature, expressed a doubt whether the 
representation of the Commonwealth at the Vienna Exhibi- 
tion would result in the great benefit that was predicted by 
many. 

He alluded to the chief causes of failure, and gave the 
Massachusetts Commission credit for having labored faithfully 
and intelligently to secure the best attainable results. 

It may well be questioned whether it was expedient for 
any State to send out a paid commission, charged with duties 
that should have been well performed by United States com- 
missioners. 

The Massachusetts Commissioner on behalf of industrial 
interests, explains the hindrances to his own success, points 
out many defects in the arrangement and organization of the 
Exhibition, and makes suggestions in his report which may 
be of much value to the State in its preparation for future 
exhibitions. 

It is therefore more than possible that such advantages will 
accrue to the Commonwealth, from its representation at 
Vienna, as to justify the appropriation that was made for the 
industrial, as well as for the educational branch of the Com- 
mission. 

If a new impulse shall be given to any one of our great 
industrial interests, or if our people shall be more impressed 
with the importance of industrial and scientific education, the 
labors of the Commission will not have been in vain. 

The imdersigned would gladly have given more time to his 
duties as an Associate, but for the reasons that are stated in 
the Commissioner's report. It seemed to be useless to go to 
Vienna while the Exhibition was in a state of disorder. 



84 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

After making a hurried survey of the whole Exhibition, 
which required more than one week, the time that remained — 
about three weeks — was mostly devoted to textile industry, 
as there represented in various ways, upon which a brief 
Report will now be given. 

Writers for the press, and others, have described the gen- 
eral plan and arrangement of the Exhibition, which was in 
twenty-six groups, with numerous additional exhibitions. 

Group V. was Textile Industry and Clothing. 

It is said by those who had the best opportunities for ob- 
serving, and it is an unquestioned fact, that never at any 
previous Exhibition was textile industry so prominently rep- 
resented, or its importance so well shown, as at the Vienna 
Universal Exhibition. Never before was there brought to- 
gether a series of exhibits so complete, or so significant of 
progress in the various branches of this industry. Its 
almost numberless branches were clearly shown, and the 
relation between textile and other industries was distinctly 
expressed. 

Although, in our modern civilization, it is understood that 
coal, iron and textile fibres range in importance in the order 
here mentioned, the textile industry cloimed much space, 
and was more prominent than any other at Vienna. 

It was no easy task to obtain a general view of this de- 
partment, as the various exhibits belonging to it w^ere widely 
separated, and in several buildings. The Agricultural Halls 
contained a variety of raw materials, and machines for culti- 
vating the same ; there were many things in the Machinery 
Halls belonging to textile industry ; and the great Industry 
Palace contained an immense and somewhat confusing col- 
lection of textile fabrics from all parts of the world, including 
articles of utility, of ornament, and of luxury. 

A careful examination of all these exhibits, and the prep- 
aration of an elaborate report thereon, would have been a 
labor of several months for more than one man. It would 
have necessitated a thorough investigation of a great variety 
of raw materials, to ascertain the new channels they open for 
manufacturing operations ; the examination of numberless 
textile fabrics, to obtain from them evidence of mechanical 
progress and chemical development in this branch of man- 



1874.] 



HOUSE— No. 100. 



85 



ufacture ; and the inspection of a great variety of machinery 
that was exhibited for preparation, spinning, weaving, braid- 
ing, dyeing, printing, ornamenting and finishing. 

This work has been done with more or less thoroughness, 
and reports of much interest and value have been or will be 
made by commissioners and others. A series of valuable 
articles on the textile industry at Vienna, have already been 
published in an English journal that is seen by many artisans, 
manufacturers and scientists in this country. The official 
catalogues of several countries contain important information 
relative to their various industries. 

It is believed that textile industry alone was represented 
at Vienna by nearly ten thousand exhibitors, if we include 
the exhibits of fibres, apparatus and machinery; but without 
including these, the number, as shown by the catalogues, 
was — 



For Austria and 


Hungary, . 






about 2,500 


Germany, . 


• 






' 1,100 


France, 










750 


Switzerland, 










400 


England, 










300 


Italy, . 












300 


Turkey, 












300 


Greece, 












225 


Russia, 












200 


Tunis, 












175 


Belgium, 












150 


Sweden, 












50 


Denmark, 












75 



Exhibits from various other countries, including the United 
States, would make up a total of at least 8,000 exhibitors of 
textile fabrics and clothing. 

These fio^ures indicate the extent of this branch of the 
Vienna Exhibition ; but its magnitude will be better appre- 
ciated when it is stated that, in many instances, a single 
exhibitor displayed a great variety, as well as a large quan- 
tity of goods. This was especially noticeable in the Austrian 
sections. The exhibits of that country alone, in eleven sec- 
tions, constituted an immense exhibition. 



Se EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Eeb. 

The exhibits of France were also in eleven sections, illus- 
trating, in their arrangement, the skill and taste for which 
the people of that country are distinguished. 

The German exhibits were well displayed in eight sections. 

From those countries, as well as from Switzerland, Bel- 
gium and England, there were collective exhibits of great 
beauty and interest, consisting of fabrics in silk, wool, cot- 
ton, flax, hemp and jute; and clothing of all descriptions, for 
both sexes. 

No collective exhibit was more interesting than that by the 
silk manufacturers of Crefeld, Germany. The history of the 
silk industry of Crefeld is very instructive, and may well be 
studied by any one about to engage in that branch of man- 
ufacture. 

The silk manufacturers of Lyons also imited in a magnifi- 
cent display of their fabrics, occupying an entire court of the 
Palace. 

The Macclesfield Chamber of Commerce exhibited a beauti- 
ful "Trophy of Silk," comprising articles peculiar to that 
place, furnished by nine of its manufacturers. 

The most celebrated manufacturers of silk, woollen, linen 
and dress goods, in France, Germany, Belgium and Great 
Britain — whose names are well known in this country — 
exhibited some of their choicest productions. 

From Oriental countries there were numerous collections of 
webs and tissues, chiefly the productions of manual labor 
according to old usages and methods, distinguished in 
design and coloring by native taste. These attracted much 
attention. 

There were several exhibits illustrating the processes of 
manufacture, the silk industry being thus most completely 
illustrated. 

In the United States department there were less than forty 
exhibits in Group V., and but few of these were from Massa- 
chusetts, whose manufacturers could have furnished ^ve times 
forty contributions to that branch of the Exhibition. It cer- 
tainly was remarkable that a State which leads all the others 
in the manufacture of woollen, cotton and worsted goods, as 
well as the manufacture of boots and shoes, contributed so 
little to this last and greatest Universal Exhibition. There 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 8* 

was, however, but little inducement to participate in an exhi- 
bition that promised no immediate substantial returns. 

This branch of the United States department was too 
meagre, and too mean, to reflect any credit upon the country, 
and could only tend to convey a false impression concerning 
its advancement in textile industry. 

The exhibits of the raw textile materials were numerous, 
including some that are little known in this country, and but 
little used elsewhere. 

Much interest was expressed in the fibres of certain plants 
exhibited by Dr. Colly er in the United States department, 
which are said to have been cidtivated with success in various 
countries during the last few years. In the Brazilian depart- 
ment there was a long fibrous textile product, extracted from 
the stems of a bulbous plant, resembling mohair ; also fibres 
from Tucum, in various degrees of treatment, some of which 
were similar to sheep's wool. 

The United States exhibited a large collection of cotton, 
including beautiful samples of the Sea Island, and there was 
cotton from China, Egypt, Syria, Southern Russia, Algeria, 
Central America, and several other countries. 

It was thought that the exhibits of cotton from Egypt, Rus- 
sia and Algeria, furnished evidence of progress in the cotton- 
culture of those countries. 

The flax culture was largely represented by Germany, Aus- 
tria and Great Britain. 

The culture of hemp was best represented by Russia ; a 
country that is endeavoring to produce all raw textile mate- 
rials for weaving. 

Jute was prominently represented, and has become an im- 
portant material for yarns, being extensively used in carpet- 
weaving as a substitute for hemp. It is being applied to new 
purposes, as was shown in the Austrian, German, Dutch, 
Belgian, French and English departments. 

There were exhibitions of wool of every description, from 
all countries ; also goat's hair from various countries. 

There were collections of silk, in all its varieties, from all 
silk-growing countries, making a very instructive exhibition. 
So well was this material represented, that one could there 
learn more about its quality and treatment than could be 



88 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

learned in a short time from any treatise or book. It is un- 
derstood that Italy is making rapid progress in this and many 
other branches of industry. 

Our Massachusetts manufacturers are generally well ac- 
quainted with all machinery and raw materials adapted to 
their wants, are promptly informed of all inventions and 
improvements, and are not slow to adopt whatever is valu- 
able. 

Some of the numerous exhibits of textile fabric machinery 
and apparatus will now be referred to, full descriptions and 
illustrations of which are easily attainable by any one desiring 
the same. 

Machinery for the cotton branch of textile industry was 
poorly represented. Switzerland alone showed a complete 
series of cotton-spinning machines, without any noteworthy 
improvements, by Jacob Reiter & Co., of Winterthur. 

Wool-washing was chemically represented by German 
houses, and the mechanical process by McNaught & Co., 
of England, who exhibited machines of improved construc- 
tion. 

A wool-opening machine was exhibited by M. Celestin 
Martin, of Verviers, Belgium, capable of working 400 pounds 
of wool per hour; also a self-acting oiling-machine of simple 
construction, with which, it is said, a single workman can oil 
3,000 pounds of wool in twelve hours. Other machines were 
shown by the same well-known engineer. Excellent wool- 
combing machines were shown by Piatt Brothers, of Oldham, 
England. 

Wool-carding was largely represented by well-known Ger- 
man, Belgian and English houses, some of whom claimed 
important improvements. The machines of M. Martin, who 
exhibited two systems of carding, attracted much attention. 

Wool-spinning was well represented ; and here again the 
machines of M. Celestin Martin were conspicuous. The self- 
actor for carded wool, by M. Bede, of Verviers, contains in- 
teresting and original features of probable value. 

Much interest was manifested in the patent continuous wool- 
spinner, by John G. Avery, of Worcester County, Mass., 
which, it is claimed in his circular, "will do more and better 
work with one-half the number of spindles at less than half 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 89 

the expense, occupying less than one-quarter the space than 
the most improved process now in use in Europe." 

Flax, hemp and jute-spinning were probably best repre- 
sented by Great Britain, though there were interesting ex- 
hibits from other countries. Flax-breaking machines were 
largely represented in the Austrian, German, and other depart- 
ments. Dr. Colly er exhibited a flax-breaking and scutching- 
machine in the American department. 

Machinery and apparatus belonging to the silk industry were 
represented by Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany and Aus- 
tria ; also in an interesting manner by Turkestan and Japan. 
There was a remarkable exhibition of machinery for working 
silk waste, by Theodor and Fredric Bell, engineers, at Kriens, 
near Lucerne ; all of which is worthy of description and illus- 
tration. Great prx)gress is being made in this comparatively 
new branch of industry. 

Caspar Honegger, of Rtiti, Canton Zurich, showed the most 
numerous exhibits for silk-weaving. There was also interest- 
ing silk machinery from another Swiss house, that of Scheller 
& Berchtold, of Thalweil, near Zurich. Looms for weaving 
silk ribbons, with six shuttles, by F. Wahl, of Basle ; and a 
series of looms for various purposes and materials, by M. Kuff- 
maul & Son, of the same place, were deserving of notice. 
Among the latter was one for taffeta ribbons, with revolver- 
slay, and a new motion for the leaves, actuated by means of 
eccentrics; and one for velvet ribbons, with a crochet-slay, 
and a jacquard apparatus at its side. 

In the German department there were looms for silk-weav- 
ing, by Felix Tonar, of Diilken, including one for weaving 
glazed silk-stuff. It is said that the works of Mr. Tonar have 
been started for the purpose of making the Rhenish silk indus- 
try independent of foreign manufacturers of machinery. 

Looms for mixed stuffs and for heavy goods were promi- 
nently represented. The new and novel apparatus for weav- 
ing, by George Hodgson, of Bradford, England, is believed 
to be worthy the attention of all interested in textile industry. 
He exhibited other looms, including one of the best construc- 
tion, with the circular box and six shuttles. There was also a 
collection of looms, apparatus, etc., for the weaving process, 

12 



90 EXPOSITION AT VIENNA. [Feb. 

all of excellent workmanship, by Henry Livesey, of Green- 
bank, Blackburn. 

Escher, Wyss & Co., of Zurich, exhibited looms for weaving 
colored stuffs, arranged for different mountings, and to work 
with three, with four, and with five shuttles. 

Kuffmaul and Sons, of Basle, exhibited a loom for tapestry, 
with high warp, with a jacquard machine of 1,500 lifting wires. 

Conspicuous in the German department, were the looms and 
the tools connected with weaving, exhibited by the Sachsische 
Webstuhlfabrik (formerly Louis Schoenherr), of Chemnitz. 
These looms are said to be adapted for the lightest as well as 
for the heaviest stuffs; for the closest and for the widest 
arrangement of warp ; with change of weft ; with or without 
the jacquard machine. This company was formed in 1851, 
and now employs about 700 workmen. 

The Crompton loom, in a lighter and more simple form 
than heretofore made, was exhibited by the Sachsische 
Maschinen Fabrik (formerly Richard Hartmann) . 

In the Austrian department several looms were in opera- 
tion, including those of the Tannenwald Cotton Works, 
which appeared to be composed of all possible elements of 
other looms, but good, both in combination and workmanship. 
There was one loom in the American department, constructed 
and exhibited by the Star Tool Company of Providence, 
which has two or three interesting details, and makes 300l 
picks per minute. 

Eeference will be made to only a few more machines, all of 
which, it was claimed, contained new and interesting details, 
namely : A warping-frame and a warp-dressing machine, by 
the Erste Briinner Maschinen Fabriks Gesellschaft, Briinn^ 
A mechanical knitting-loom, by Ernst Supe, of Limbach 
(and here it may be mentioned, that the well-known Lamb 
knitting-machine, and several others, were exhibited). A 
covering and twisting machine, and a cord-making machine, 
by G. Stein, of Berlin. A singeing machine, and other 
machines for finishing, by the Zittauer Maschinen Fabrik und 
Eisengiesserei, Zittau : also a drying machine by the same 
company. Stretching machines, by William Birch, of Man- 
chester, and by J. Ducommun & Co., of Mulhouse. A crap- 
ing machine, by A. Kiessler, of Zittau ; and a calendering 



1874.] HOUSE— No. 100. 91 

machine for woollen fabrics, by the same engineer. An eight- • 
color perrotine printing-machine, constructed and exhibited 
by C. Bialon, of Berlin. Finally, what appeared to be a 
remarkable machine for embroidery, by Keitmann, of St. Gall, 
Switzerland. 

Other textile fabric machinery and apparatus, of equal, or 
even greater importance, may have escaped the notice of the 
writer of this paper : whose knowledge of machinery is 
limited, and whose time for its examination was short. 

A single remark concerning the Philadelphia Exhibition. 
If Massachusetts is to be well represented there, she must 
make wise and timely preparation. The countries that made 
such preparation, of which England was one and Belgium 
another, were most successful at Vienna. 

While Massac"husetts is greatly in advance of all the other 
States in respect to several important industries, reliable 
statistics show that she is behind four others in the silk 
industry, and especially in the matter of weaving. 

The undersigned will conclude this brief and necessarily 
imperfect Report on the branch of the Exhibition in which he 
was most interested and spent most time, by expressing the 
hope that the attention of our capitalists, and others, maybe 
so directed to the silk manufacture, that we may at no 
distant day, occupy in this the same enviable position that 
we hold in other branches of the textile industry. 

HORATIO G. KNIGHT. 



